Sins of the Soul
by EternalSorrow
Summary: AU. Vash and Wolfwood's past secrets keep haunting them. Can Meryl and Milly save them before they lose their souls? VxM MixW
1. First Meeting

A/N: Pilot for my new Trigun fanfic. I'll still be finishing the other story, but I really wanted to write this chapter first. Hope everyone likes it!!!

Disclaimer: Need you ask?

**Sins of the Soul**

First Meeting

"I can't believe this is happening" Meryl Stryfe grumbled, walking along the deserted street with her partner, Milly Thompson.

The two insurance girls had been assigned to settle a few claims in the area known as New Amazon, a fitting name for the wettest place on the planet. They had spent the entire day gathering information from the local populace and typing out their reports, with their business finally ending at about sundown. Now the two starving girls had been walking the town, searching for a place to eat, when the storm hit. And since rain was an unlikely weather condition to be trapped in on Gunsmoke, neither was prepared for the abnormal downpour now pelting down upon them.

"It could be worse, Meryl" Milly chirped, enjoying the cool weather. "We could be muddy."

"What do you mean by th-." Meryl's sentence was interrupted by her falling face first into the soggy ground, made worse by the tomas stables nearby.

"Meryl, are you alright?!" Milly asked worriedly, helping her senior to her feet.

"I'm fine" she responded looking down at her ruined clothes. _And these were new, too_ she thought dejectedly. "I just tripped over something."

They both looked back, wondering what had made her fall. To their surprise, in the middle of the road lay what appeared to be the soggy remains of two figures lying on top of a huge cross. The both of them crept closer, with Meryl picking up a stick, to investigate the apparently lifeless bodies. Reaching them, she tentatively poked the sharp object against the figure on top. Both her and Milly jumped back when they heard an audible groan emit from the mass, proceeded by a trailing of words too low to distinguish.

Cautiously stooping down to the level of the bodies, Meryl inspected the two. They were both men, though she'd never seen anyone dress as these two did. The person on the bottom was dressed head to foot in a black suit, complete with matching shoe and hair color. The other was blond, wearing what appeared to be a bright red coat and sporting the most idiotic grin she'd ever seen on a face. Sniffing the air around them, her nose wrinkled up in disgust. She turned toward her partner, a frown on her lips.

"They're drunk" she said, rising and looking once more at the now decidedly unconscious tangle of limbs. "It seems that one passed out over the other."

"What do you think we should do, Meryl?" Milly asked worriedly, gazing at the two pathetic creatures once called men.

"We have no choice. We have to get them out of the rain or they may get sick."

Fortunately, a restaurant was no more than a few feet away and Milly was able to drag both the one dressed in black and the cross toward the establishment. Meryl, on the other hand, had a hard time with her cargo. She'd been stuck with the person she'd poked, and he was somewhat conscious when she lifted his body over her small frame.

"You're heavier than you look" she huffed, nearly losing her balance with the added weight.

"Mommy" her package murmured, his head rising than falling back in a pathetic attempt to awaken from the stupor he was in.

"Why me?" Meryl asked aloud, slowly following her partner into the restaurant.

Finding a vacant table in a dark corner, the two insurance girls disposed of their cargo on the seats available. Then they sat themselves down beside their respective drunks, contemplating their situation. Fortunately, the fallen fools began stirring at the noise of the other patrons, groggily opening their eyes. But they realized their mistake too late, as the lights blasted into their sensitive organs. The pain awoke them fully from their hangovers, and they started up from their chairs with confused stares.

"Calm down" Meryl softly ordered, grabbing the hand of the blond stranger. She caught the attention of his eyes with her own, making sure he was focused on her words. "We found you lying in the street and took you in here" she explained as carefully as she could.

They sat down wordlessly, looking at one another and then at their saviors. The one dressed in red scratched the back of his head, obviously contemplating how to start a conversation from the awkward situation. Milly decided to save him the trouble.

"Hi!! My name's Milly Thompson and this is Meryl Stryfe. What are your names?" she asked cheerfully, as if they'd met in the restaurant and not out in the mud soaked street.

"My name's Vash" said the blond, then pointed at his drinking partner. "And he's Nicholas D. Wolfwood."

"I'm a traveling priest" the mentioned man said, which explained the dark clothing he was wearing. "You know, spreading the good word, saving the lambs that have strayed off the path."

"Hi Mr. Priest" Milly practically yelled, nearly toppling the table in an effort to shake his hand.

"You can just call me Wolfwood" he said, smiling. He took the offered limb and was shaken vigorously by the big girl.

"Okay, Mr. Priest."

"That's Wolfwood" he tried to correct her, pulling his hand free from the atom crushing grip.

"Okay, Mr. Priest" Milly said, giving him a clueless smile.

A head collided with the tabletop in resignation, as the two other occupants of the conversation watched on in amusement. Meryl turned slightly to the blond sitting next to her, after having assessed the man in black.

"Where did you get this guy from?" Meryl whispered to Vash, questioning the authenticity of the 'priest' before her.

"I met him a few years back in the desert" he replied, noticing as Milly pulled a container of pudding from her coat. He smiled as he watched her protect the sugary food from a spoon Wolfwood had swiped from another table. He'd never seen his bible friend hit it off with a person so quickly. "He was pretty ragged, so I helped him along to the next town. We've been traveling together ever since."

"Oh" was all Meryl replied, as a waitress came up to take their orders.

"What'll you two couples have for tonight?" she asked, smiling at the four 'lovebirds.' Meryl choked back an indignant reply, while Vash practiced his long standing tradition. Flirting with the waitress.

Grabbing the employee's hand and kneeling before her proposal style, he turned on his puppy eyes. Which made Wolfwood wince and Meryl's mouth drop in shock. Milly was still distracted with her pudding.

"I can't believe it!' he exclaimed, loud enough so most of the other diners could hear the conversation. "You're the girl from my dreams! The one I've been waiting for! So, you wanna go out with me?" he asked tactfully. But all he received for his trouble was a down-turned smile and an introduction with the floor. The waitress quickly took everyone else's orders and left the table, her nose turned up at the blond.

Now with both his pride and nose bruised, Vash slouched back into his chair. He didn't think he'd deserved that kind of treatment, and no food to boot. After all, it was only the first...time.....he......wait a minute.

"Wolfwood" he squeaked, making the priest turn his head questioningly. "Do you happen to remember what bar we were thrown out of earlier?"

Wolfwood shook his head slowly, looking around the establishment they were in. Then his eyes widened, as he stared directly behind Vash. "Needle noggin', I think it's time to leave."

"Why? What's the pro-" His sentence was abruptly halted by a large hand wrapping around his throat, cutting off his ability to speak, breath, and possibly even scream. All of which Vash really wanted to do at that moment. He felt himself being lifted from the seat, and suddenly the blond was staring straight into the eyes of his one-time arch nemesis, Buba.

"I told ya two ta not come back" the bartender known as Buba growled, tightening his grip on the steadily panicking Vash. "The waitresses didn't want no more of yer abuse. Now get out, and never come back."

With that said, he walked to the door and threw Vash out. Unfortunately for Vash, the bartender neglected to open the door before ejecting him. With a loud slam and an even louder scream, there was now the perfect image of the blond in the hardwood door. Which Wolfwood gladly stepped through on his hasty retreat out of the restaurant, followed by the more than perplexed insurance girls.


	2. Midnight Discussions

A/N: The second chapter is finally up. Not sure when the third will come, since school is interrupting my ideas. Thanks everyone!!!

Midnight Discussions

"Well, that explains why you two were unconscious in front of the restaurant" Meryl grumbled, as they stood under the cover of a store front. She was vexed at having her meal interrupted. "And what did you two do to make him so mad?" she asked angrily,

"Not much" Wolfwood replied, leaning on his cross and lighting a cigarette he'd fished from his vest pocket. "Needle noggin here just wanted to go out with a waitress."

"Which one?"

"All of them."

"Well, that explains more than I wanted to know" Meryl said dryly, looking at the time on her watch. The hour was later than she thought. "We really need to be going back to our rooms, Millie. Where are you two staying?" Meryl asked, addressing the former alcoholics.

"Well...we don't really have any place to go to" Vash said, scratching the back of his head. Meryl assumed that was his habit when he became nervous.

"Then you can stay with us" Milly offered looking to Meryl for approval.

The smaller insurance girl gave a sigh of exasperation. Now that her partner had made the offer, it wasn't as if she could refuse them. She just hoped they wouldn't take advantage of their hospitality. But then, she did have her derringers with her.

"Alright" Meryl answered, taking hold of Vash's arm and leading the group to their hotel.

"Yay!!!" Milly yelled, grabbing Wolfwood's hand and dragging both him and his cross after the other couple.

Fortunately, the Bernardelli Insurance Society kept the girls well stocked with money, allowing them the luxury of renting decent hotel rooms. The room they were currently staying in had two bedrooms, so Millie and Meryl were sharing one, while the boys were given the other.

After the girls had bid their guests a goodnight and left, Wolfwood slumped down on the bed. He looked around the room in appreciation, rarely seeing such style. Then his manner became serious, as he lit yet another cigarette. "So, what do you think of them?" he asked the blond standing in front of the bed.

"They're okay, but the small one is kinda bitchy. And violent" Vash added, rubbing his bruised arm. Meryl's grip had been less than gentle in leading them to the hotel and up the flight of stairs to the rooms. "But what about you?" he suddenly asked, a sly grin appearing on his face. "You and the big girl seemed to be getting along."

"She's comforting" Wolfwood said, shrugging his shoulders. "I think she's good, truly good" he whispered, looking out the window at the waxing crescent moon setting in the sky. "Well, it's getting late and we'd better turn in" he said, rising from the bed and stretching his long limbs. "I'm guessing you're going to want the bed?"

"Yeah" Vash sighed.

The following morning, the two insurance girls awoke early. Exiting their room fully clothed and ready for a long day at their jobs, they saw that the other two suite occupants had yet to arise.

Meryl stopped in front of their closed door, and listened. Hearing nothing, she knocked loudly. Receiving no response, she twisted the knob and found that the door was locked from the inside.

"Needle-noggin sleeps a lot during the day" a voice suddenly spoke. Then Wolfwood's head appeared over the top of the couch, his hair disheveled from sleeping all night on the said furniture. "And what are you two doing up so early?" His bloodshot eyes told the two that he rarely awoke before noon.

"We have interviews to conduct around the town" Meryl answered, giving the closed door one last suspicious glance. "And why are you sleeping on the couch? The bed is big enough for two" she asked, turning toward the rising priest.

"No reason" he answered, standing and stretching his cramped limbs. Wolfwood walked over to the kitchen partition, idly wondering what was for breakfast. "So, when are you girls leaving?" he asked casually, leaning against a wall.

"Tomorrow" Meryl replied, walking into the small kitchenette and searching the cupboards for some food. "After the interviews, we still have to finish typing the reports. And the bus doesn't leave until then anyway." Setting the fruit and cereal she'd found on the table, the small insurance girl suddenly heard a loud growling noise. Turning to the priest, she looked at him with a side glance.

"Sorry, haven't had anything to eat in a while" Wolfwood said, trying to calm his rebellious stomach. But the food in front of him was too tempting, and his stomach let out another hungry growl.

Meryl sighed in exasperation, picking up a large apple and tossing the fruit to the starved man. Wolfwood gladly took the offered breakfast, munching on the food appreciatively. After finishing with their own meal, the insurance girls left for work. Of course, after Meryl had given strict instructions for the two not to leave. She didn't want the two to cause any trouble while they were away, especially since the boys were now boarding with Millie and Meryl.

After a long day of collecting the necessary interviews for their report, the two insurance girls wearily traveled back to their hotel room. Reaching the suite with the setting sun at their backs, they found Vash sitting on the couch. Seeing their entrance, he stood up and gave them both a warm smile.

"How was work?" he asked, silently offering to take their parcels full of their notes and the portable typewriter. But Millie objected, carrying both girls' work to their rooms.

"Fine" Meryl muttered wearily, collapsing at the kitchen table.

"Must be hard work" Vash commented, joining her at the table.

"Only when people refuse to cooperate" Meryl replied, staring out the window at the darkened sky. Her and Millie were going to be having a late dinner tonight.

Vash's head suddenly jerked up, startling Meryl. She watched on in horror as his eyes moved to the window, seeming to almost glow.

"I have to go out" he suddenly spoke, his usual cheeriness gone. He offered no explanation for the sudden change, merely rising from the table and walking to the front door.

"Stay here" he ordered, before leaving the hotel suite.

Left alone so suddenly, Meryl wondered if she'd said something wrong.

Outside, Vash's feet took him into a nearby alley, where he stopped at the far end. Away from the hotel. He faced straight ahead, though mindful of the sounds around him. He didn't want anyone walking by and getting caught in the middle.

"What do you want?" he seemed to ask the empty air around him. But he was not alone.

A pair of golden eyes stood out from the shadows behind Vash. They showed no hint of feeling, as if void of all emotion. The rest of the form still lay hidden from sight, cloaked in the surrounding darkness.

"Good evening, Vash the Stampede" the owner of the eyes spoke. The words spoken were ones of greeting, but the tone was ice, neither friendly nor welcomed. "My master greatly wishes to see you."

"I won't go" Vash said firmly, turning to face the shadowed figure. "But you didn't come to me just to deliver that message. What do you really want?"

A low chuckle echoed in the alley, one as cold as the eyes. "My master wishes to know why you have stayed with these unworthy two for so long" the shadow said. A pale hand emerged from the shadowy figure and pointed from where Vash had come, toward the hotel. "Do you have some affection for them?" Though the tone was unemotional, the words were mocking.

"Why? What are you going to do to them?!" Vash stepped toward the figure in anger, fearing what their plans for the insurance girls might be.

"Nothing at all, Vash the Stampede. But my master may want to have some fun with them." The eyes suddenly moved farther back into the shadows. "Especially the small one."

Those words were his last, as Vash dived toward the figure. But only to meet empty air. The unwelcome visitor had vanished. Vash stood in the alley, his head slightly drooped and his mind repeating the conversation. The insurance girls were in trouble, and all because of him.

Upon entering the hotel suite, Vash was confronted by a still confused Meryl. And her rising temper at his abrupt exit.

"Why did you run out like that?" she said, her tone almost accusing. The responsible insurance girl didn't want to deal with a man who would bolt out when the urge took him.

"No reason" Vash said, trying to edge his way past the increasing angry Meryl. "I just needed some fresh air, that's all." With those words, he suddenly slipped past her small form and raced for the bedroom. Slamming the door shut behind him, he saw Wolfwood sitting on the bed, a questioning look upon his face. Vash slumped to the floor, mentally exhausted from the night's events.

"Wolfwood, we have a problem."

"What kind of problem?" the priest asked, watching the fallen gunman warily and trying to find his packet of cigarettes at the same time.

"_His _messenger boy was here, and he threatened the girls."

Wolfwood froze at Vash's words, his eyes open in shock. Then he went back to fishing in his pockets, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Damn" he muttered, finally finding a cigarette and lighting the end. He pondered their predicament for a moment, while Vash cursed himself for getting the girls involved. After a few minutes of silence and thinking, Wolfwood finally spoke. "There's no other choice" he said, exhaling smoke. "We have to take them to their destination ourselves. It's the only way we can make sure they'll be safe."


	3. A Showing of Guns

A/N: Sorry everyone for the delay but I'm having trouble writing the chapters, since no inspiration has hit me in the last month or so. Thanks for reading and reviewing!!!!

A Showing Of Guns

Fortunately, the two had a truck, which they generously offered the use of to their kind hosts. Much to their relief, Vash and Wolfwood were able to convince the girls to ride with them quite easily. The decision was mostly on account of the bus, and the crowded state the passenger vehicle would have been for the insurance girls.

So the following afternoon, they began packing for their trip. Unfortunately, they soon ran into some difficulties, specifically the luggage problem. The four people would be forced to pack into the small truck compartment, the bed having been filled with luggage and necessary food items. Like donuts.

At first Meryl couldn't believe her eyes as she gazed at the back of the truck, which was nearly overflowing with dangerously stacked donut boxes. She stiffly raised her hand and pointed to the possible hallucination.

"What are those?"

Vash came up beside her at that moment, carrying with him some of the insurance girls' luggage. He looked to where she pointed, giving Meryl a goofy smile.

"Emergency rations" he said. "You know, just in case we get lost or the truck breaks down."

"You're expecting us to survive on donuts in the middle of a desert?" she asked, an edge in her voice.

"Um, yeah?" Vash answered, oblivious to the warning signs going off in his head.

Before Vash knew what had happened, his entire cargo had been dropped to the ground. Along with him. With blinding speed, Meryl had knocked the back of his head with more strength than he thought she possessed, leading to his current position of kissing the earth. After a few stunned moments, Vash cautiously turned his head away from the dirt, only to wish he hadn't. The small insurance girl's eyes burned into his, making him shake in fear of the anger within them.

"Vash, people need food to survive!!" she yelled at the fallen gunman. "And what are we supposed to do about water?!"

Vash lay stiffly on the ground, his eyes wide in shock at the sudden change in her attitude. His only thought at the moment? Survival. With an audible whimper, the gunman slowly started sliding away from the scolding woman. Thankfully, his savior came to his rescue.

"Meryl, you shouldn't treat Mr. Vash like that" Millie said, suddenly appearing from around the side of the truck. Wolfwood appeared behind her, carrying the last of the girls' luggage. "He was kind enough to offer us a ride."

At her partners words, Meryl stopped her verbal and physical abuse of the cowering man before her. With a sigh, she shook her head in resignation and offered a hand to Vash. The blonde hesitantly accepted the silent apology and rose to his feet. He reached down to collect one of the many suitcases before him, when a small hand brushed against his own. Meryl swiftly picked up the bag Vash had dropped in their one-sided scuffle.

"You better not get us killed, broom head" she said softly, before marching to the truck.

Unbeknownst to the retreating woman, the man behind her touched the arm she'd brushed, a small smile on his lips.

Later in the evening found the group reaching their destination, making quicker time than expected thanks in part to Wolfwood's habit of driving. They would have arrived sooner, but after the seventh time flying over a sand dune, Meryl forced him to slow down with a smack on the head. The priest had yet to figure out how the short girl had reached him, considering she'd been sitting at the passenger side window at the time of the abuse, with Vash and Millie between them

The large town was quaintly named New Georgia, with many tall buildings and winding streets stretching across several square iles. The two girls reported to the local Bernardelli bureau, leaving the boys to keep an eye on the vehicle and baggage. After leaving their reports and gathering their new orders, the two met up with their drivers at one of the local restaurants. They idly chatted while eating their late dinner, the conversation eventually finding its way to the girls' job.

"Actually, we were planning on staying awhile here" Vash said, scratching the back of his head nervously. He and Wolfwood had to keep as close to the girls as possible without attracting their attention, and surviving Meryl's brutal treatment. He didn't doubt the promised interest in them would be fulfilled, and harm would come to the insurance girls.

"I guess since you have no where else to go, and you did get us here" Meryl suddenly spoke, catching Vash's attention. "We'll take you in" she finished grudgingly, Millie nodding enthusiastically beside her.

"Really?" Vash exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise. He couldn't believe what luck had dropped in his lap. "That would really help us out, since we don't have any money. How long will you girls be staying here?" he asked, giving them his most charming smile. The blond wasn't sure how long the generous offer would last, and had to keep their attention on the subject. Especially Meryl's.

"Bernardelli has an office here, and we have to file our paperwork with the company" Meryl said, listing the business duties on her fingers. "So we'll be here for about a month, maybe longer."

Wolfwood suddenly choked on his cigarette, leading into a coughing fit. Millie patted him on the back, smiling.

"You shouldn't smoke, Mr. Priest" the big girl commented, unfazed by his sudden choking fit. "Cigarettes are bad for you, you know."

"Then how about we rent a house?" Vash suggested, nervously looking toward his friend. "We could get jobs to help you with the money. Besides, hotel rooms aren't as comfy."

"Yeah!" Millie squealed, clapping her hands together. "Let's get a house Meryl" she said, turning toward her short companion.

Meryl sighed, feeling like a nurse maid surrounded by unruly children. "Fine" she agreed, finishing her meal. "We can see if any of the realtors are open in the evening and look what they have for rent." The idea was starting to appeal to her as she thought of not having to stay in any more hotel rooms. The traveling insurance girl couldn't remember the last time she'd slept in a bed she could call her own.

After they all finished with their meals, the group set out for a house. Finding an open realty company along the next block, they began looking through the selections. For half an hour their search turned up negative, each person finding some disagreement with each building. Finally Meryl came to their last choice, a two story, full basement home with two bedrooms and baths, along with a sizable kitchen, living room, and dining room.

As she looked at the pictures of the home, the realtor did point out one small problem with the house. Apparently the structure had been used for the jail until a few years ago, having the only basement in town which could safely and securely hold any offenders. The townspeople hadn't bothered to remove the cells in the basement, the task not being worth the effort.

"It's perfect" Vash suddenly chimed in, taking the picture from Meryl's hands. "We'll take it."

Meryl gave him a suspicious stare, but couldn't deny that the asking price was more than fair. She began making the arrangements with the manager, acquiring the house quickly and allowing them to move in that very evening. The boys took one bedroom while the girls took the other, and soon all were perfectly situated in their new home.

Several days later found Meryl plodding along the dusty street, the setting sun dipping below the horizon.

"I swear, all he eats is donuts" Meryl grumbled, walking home from her job. She was carrying a large two dozen box of donuts for the gluttonous gunman, having specially ordered them from the bakery. The sweets were another gift, for taking them to the town. The small insurance girl wasn't sure why she was doting on the idiot, only that he seemed to need _some_ caring.

Millie had cheerfully gone ahead to the house to prepare dinner, while Meryl only hoped there was a house to return to. She still didn't entirely trust the two men staying with them, though her partner had taken an immediate liking to them, especially Wolfwood. Despite her insistence, Vash had gladly taken a job at the local supply store, stocking shelves and unpacking the weekly shipment. And here she now was, left alone to carry her cargo of sweets and mutter to herself about idiot blonds and smoking priests.

Suddenly a shadow blocked Meryl's path, looming over her and reeking of alcohol.

"Hey pretty lady. Wanna dance with me?" the man asked, slowly closing the distance between them.

Meryl reached under her cape, looking for her derringers. With a sudden sickening thought, she remembered having left them at the house. Her new boss was less than comfortable with her packing weapons to work, and she'd gotten the hint. Now she was defenseless, with the towering form of the drunk She began retreating before him, hoping to escape around him. But before she'd taken more than a few steps, the man grabbed her by the wrist, causing a small cry to escape her lips as the donut boxes fell to the ground.

"I don't think the lady wants you" a voice suddenly spoke from the darkness.

Both Meryl and her captor turned their heads toward the shadows to the left, searching for the owner of the words. The small insurance girl gasped when she saw two bright scarlet eyes peering at them, worry and even....anger, within their depths. Then the figure stepped into the light, and she immediately recognized the spiky hair and goofy grin of the blond.

"Vash!" she yelled, struggling to free herself from the stranger's grip.

"Oh yeah?" the man asked, his speech slurred. "What are you gonna do with a bullet in yer brain." He quickly pulled out a pistol from his belt and leveled the gun at Vash, firing off several shots as Meryl screamed his name.

With blinding speed Vash suddenly disappeared from where he had stood, reappearing next to Meryl. He easily snatched her from the shocked stranger's grasp, moving the small insurance girl away from the approaching confrontation.

"How'd you do that?!" the drunk yelled, once more leveling the gun at the blond.

Vash didn't say a word, the blond's now hardened eyes speaking for him. As Meryl watched the man's finger pressed against the trigger, she wondered if the goofy blond had gone insane. She shut her eyes, tears slipping down her face as the sound of a single gun shot echoed in the air. She didn't dare open them, knowing the sight that awaited her vision. Vash would be on the ground, lying dead in a pool of his own blood.

Suddenly a soft finger brushed against her cheek, and her startled eyes opened to an unexpected sight. Vash stood before her, a smile on his lips and a large silver gun in his hand, the barrel still smoking. Turning to look past him, her mouth dropped open in shock. The stranger sat on the ground in disbelief, his gun lying several yarz away.

"What...? How?" she asked, her gaze returning to Vash's face. This man she took as a complete waste of air had somehow managed to draw his gun and shoot the stranger's pistol out of his hand, all before the trigger was pulled.

"Just no skill" Vash answered, his goofy grin returning. Then he turned toward the man who still lay on the ground. "I don't think you should have this anymore, mister" he said, picking up the pistol. "Someone might get hurt."

Tucking the gun into one of his many pockets, he walked over the stranger and towered over him.

"I want you to repeat after me" Vash said, his face becoming stone. The drunk started shaking, wondering what this red clad gunman was going to do to him. "This world is made of....LOVE AND PEACE!" he exclaimed, stretching his arm and opening his fingers into a v-shape. He then set his hands on his hips and broke out into the most annoying, high-pitched laughter Meryl had ever heard.

Gritting her teeth together, she marched up to the laughing idiot and swung her arm across his head. The force of the blow sent him reeling, as he turned toward her rubbing his head like a child scolded.

"Why'd you do that" he whined, rubbing the bruised cranium.

"Because you're just so impossible" she answered. Turning her back on him, Meryl picked up the boxes of donuts and proceeded her way to the house.

"Hey, wait for me!" Vash said, noticing the delicious sweets and making a hasty sprint to catch up with the small insurance girl.


	4. Unwelcome Visitor

A/N: A quick update while I still have inspiration, lol. Thanks everyone!!!

Unwelcome Visitor

Vash was nervous as they walked along. The small insurance girl hadn't spoken a single word to him since she'd slapped the back of his head, though he'd tried to start a conversation. At the first scathing glare he gave up, holding up his hands in resignation. He didn't even dare reach out to take one of the treasured sweets she held, for fear he wouldn't retrieve his hand.

Meryl couldn't believe what had happened. Not only had she almost been raped, but the one to come to her rescue had been none other than Vash. And he had been concealing a gun from her this entire time. She mentally berated herself for not being more cautious around the blond, her mind apparently having been fooled by his repeated acts of idiocy.

The two finally reached the small house they were calling home, Vash gallantly opening the door for the lady in an attempt to appease her sudden anger. Meryl brushed by him without a glance and went to the kitchen, placing the boxes down on the table. Vash cautiously walked in behind her, knowing well an unpleasant conversation was about to take place. She suddenly turned to the cowering gunman, her eyebrows raised in displeasure.

"Sit down" she said, a commanding edge to her voice.

Vash did as he was told, quickly pulling out a chair and sitting in front of her. He looked like a child about to be scolded, with his eyes wide in fear and his hands fidgeting nervously in his lap.

"Why do you have a gun?" Meryl asked, her hands folded across her chest. "And when were you planning on telling Millie and me?"

Vash was expecting this question, knowing well he hadn't truly gained the small insurance girl's trust yet. The gunman hadn't meant to ever show her his gun, but the drunk had given him no other choice. For a few seconds he wracked his mind for how to explain the weaponry, without using the need to lie to her. Then a brilliant idea hit him.

"Probably the same reason you carry your derringers" he said, making Meryl's eyes widen in surprise. "We have to protect the ones we love."

Meryl stared blankly at him for a few seconds, then composed herself. She would not let his innocent act sway her anger. A sudden thought came to her mind, making her eyes shift uneasily to the mysterious man before her.

"Have you ever killed someone?" she asked quietly.

"No."

Meryl let out a sigh of relief, not realizing she had been holding her breath while waiting for his answer. With her suspicions now put to rest, she was now free to satisfy her curiosity.

"What _were_ you doing out?" she asked, not willing to entirely trust his word. She also couldn't believe his arrival was just a coincidence.

"Well..." Vash said, scratching the back of his head. "Millie got home and said you were coming with some groceries, so I went to see if I could help." He suddenly chuckled. "I helped out more than I expected."

Meryl stared at the blond before her for a moment, a mix of feelings flashing across her face. Suspicion, anger, and maybe even a little gratefulness. She sighed, setting herself down in another chair opposite Vash. He _had_ rescued her from an unpleasant confrontation, and she was showing him very little gratitude.

"I'm sorry" she said, hanging her head in apology. "You did help me back there, and....thank you." The last statement came out as a whisper, her eyes closing in embarrassment.

Vash's head perked up at her words, his face alight with joy. As he stared at the small woman before him, the blond felt a tugging guilt in his chest. Her saddened emotions were affecting him more than he would admit, even to himself. And he didn't know why, but he now wanted to do something for her, anything, just to gain even a little of her trust.

"How can I make it up to you?" he asked, catching hold of her hand.

Meryl blushed at the sudden contact, quickly pulling her hand from his grasp. Surprisingly, she hadn't thought the experience unpleasant. Rather, her feelings had been quite the opposite. His closeness was also having an effect on her, making her shift uneasily. Her vision was becoming blurry and she had a hard time focusing on the conversation still taking place.

"I know!" Vash said, his face beaming. He hadn't noticed the change in Meryl's face, his thoughts so fixed on pleasing her. "How about I take you out for dinner? I've saved some money from my job, and there's this restaurant I've heard about where the food is great. So whadda ya say?"

The small insurance girl merely stared blankly at him for a few moments, speechless by his offer. But his puppy dog eyes were shining so brightly, and chance to get out and have an enjoyable evening was so tempting. Very slowly, her head shook up and down, accepting the free dinner.

"Great!" he yelled, jumping up and hugging her wildly. Then he was on the ground in a painful heap, his head sporting a large bruise.

"I can't believe you" Meryl muttered, leaving the room quickly. The small insurance girl only hoped he hadn't noticed the warm glow on her cheeks, which had arisen after he had held her. Besides, she had to look through her wardrobe for a suitable dress to wear.

Meryl still couldn't believe she had said yes. But here they were the following night, strolling to the restaurant with the blonde idiot. Vash was sporting an elegant evening suit, while she had managed to find a white knee length dress with a shawl covering her bare shoulders. The blond had suggested they walk to the establishment, to fully enjoy the half moon shining brightly in the sky.

Neither was talking, each just enjoying the pleasure of the other's company. Meryl walked stiffly beside him, her pursed mouth the most obvious sign of her nervousness. She hadn't been on a date for several years now, and the rules of etiquette were passing through her mind like an overbearing chaperone.

_Should I lean on his shoulder? **No, he might flinch away!** Should I swing my hips more? **Don't be such a charlotte!** What should we talk about? **Nothing, you don't know anything about him!** Can I hold his hand? _The last question remained unanswered and Meryl smiled to herself at her one victory.

Suddenly Vash stopped, catching Meryl's hand in a bone crushing grip.

"Get behind me" he said, his lips set in a grim line.

Meryl immediately obeyed, the tone of his voice shocking any doubt of sincerity from her mind. But looking around, she could neither discern a shape nor hear a sound from their surroundings.

"What is it?" Meryl asked, looking questioningly to Vash's back.

For a minute he neither spoke nor moved, and Meryl thought he hadn't heard her question. Then Vash let out a low, tired sigh, his whole body shaking with a painful exhaustion. So concerned was the small insurance girl for his sudden change in mood, she barely heard the one word which passed his lips.

"Vampire."

Meryl nearly barked out a laugh as the idea sank into her mind, finding humor in his ridiculous words. She stared at the rigid figure in front of her with complete disbelief, wondering if his sanity had left him. Surely he had to be joking? Vampires were merely horror monsters meant to scare children, a concoction of the imagination.

"Vash, don't be an idiot" she spoke, annoyance in her voice at having been frightened so easily. "Vampires don't exist" Meryl commented, shaking her head in disgust. She walked out from the cover behind him, already tired of his foolish antics.

Suddenly a dark form burst from the shadows, racing with inhuman speed toward the small insurance girl. Meryl could see the figure coming, but knew she could do nothing to stop its progress nor move from her spot in time.

"Meryl!" Vash yelled, diving toward her. He managed to push her aside just in time, as the beast flew past where she had just stood, his claws uselessly raking the air.

Meryl had the air knocked from her lungs as her stomach hit the sand, making her cough for the precious oxygen. Vash knelt over her, making sure she was uninjured and looking for any signs of the attacker.

"What was that?!" Meryl said, when she had regained enough breath to speak. In her weakened condition, she failed to control the rising fear in her voice.

"Something that doesn't exist" Vash quickly answered, standing up and looking around. He couldn't see where the vampire had gone, and was sure they hadn't seen the last of the creature. Possibly the monster was lurking in the shadows, waiting to catch them unprepared.

Then Vash hit the ground hard, a loud groan escaping his lips as his shoulder connected with the solid dirt. Meryl looked to him and gasped. A long gash had ripped his shirt sleeve from the cuff to the shoulder, with a trail of blood was seeping down his arm.

A man now stood at the edge of the shadows, his cold eyes growing red and his lengthened fangs spilling over his lips. He laughed as Vash shakily stood to his feet, the gunman trying his best to ignore the painful throbbing in his arm.

"I don't want to hurt you" Vash whispered, wincing as he heard his blood drip to the ground.

"I imagine you're not going to touch me" the stranger taunted, receding back into the darkness. "But perhaps I can touch your woman?"

Meryl watched the short conversation with horror, the man's last words echoing in her mind. The young woman could only image what the monster would do to her, if given the chance. She turned her face toward Vash's, covering her mouth to stifle her scream.

Vash's eyes had turned a bright red, his mouth turned in a snarl of anger. Faster than her sight could follow, he sprinted into the shadows where the man had stood. Meryl almost thought she saw him disappear _into_ the very darkness surrounding them, his outline becoming hazy before vanishing altogether.

A sudden gasp of amazement was heard in the shadows, followed by the primal challenge of a low growl. Then all around her she could hear the sounds of struggling, fist meeting flesh and bodies colliding with ground.

Suddenly a figure flew from the shadows, the body landing a few yarz from where she sat. Meryl watched with a mixture of joy and fear as Vash walked out of the darkness, his clothes torn and bloody but his body still standing. He walked over to the fallen stranger, the terrifying light still in his eyes but the anger no longer prevalent.

"You can stop this, end this cycle" Vash said, kneeling beside the man. "I can help you make a new life."

"I've failed" the vampire coughed out, reaching into a pocket. "He won't allow me to live." Pulling his hand from the pouch, he raised a vile to his lips and quickly drank the contents. His eyes closed, as he felt the potion began to work.

Vash watched on in horror as the monster before him literally melted, his skin burning off his bones. The vampire's bones crumbled, organs and muscles dissolving amidst the sand. The smell of charred flesh filled the air, as what remained of the stranger's body turned to ash. The dust settled around the hunched gunman, coating his tears in their soft whiteness.

He picked up the vile from the sand, examining the contents. As he thought, there had been holy water placed within the small container. The blond sighed, standing and turning toward Meryl.

Vash walked over to her, a hand clutching his stained clothes and a worried frown on his face. His eyes still held the blazing red from the fight and the blood from his wounds was already slacking, the damage rapidly healing itself. He finally reached her quivering body, her eyes unblinking as she stared into his own now with...fear.

"What are you?" Meryl whispered, before she collapsed into his arms.


	5. An Unbelievable Truth

A/N: I actually like this chapter, so I hope everyone else does!!!

An Unbelievable Truth

Meryl slowly awoke from her slumber, feeling too comfortable to want to move. The darkness of her unconsciousness nearly caused her to return to sleep. Then the memories came flashing into her mind, and she bolted up. She twisted her head to her left, nearly shrinking back as her eyes fell on the blond kneeling next to her.

Vash saw her face pale, and managed to keep a strained smile on his lips. He knew another explanation would soon be demanded, and was not looking forward to this conversation any more than the last. Her reaction after the truth was told would more likely be less pleasing than the last, and that prospect sent a sudden ache to his heart. He did not wish to leave the two insurance girls he had grown fond of, and had no desire to become a wanderer once more.

Millie was seated at Meryl's feet, her worried eyes perking up at the sight of her partner awakened. She had been told of the incident and what had caused her friend to collapse, but had taken the explanation in stride. The most pressing matter had been to care for the smaller insurance girl, who had appeared deathly pale on being carried into the house. And even if she had been frightened by the tale told to her, the care with which Vash had shown toward Meryl would have quickly shattered any doubts of his motives toward the well-being of her partner.

Wolfwood suddenly stood in the doorway, a cigarette in his mouth. Vash looked over his shoulder, silently nodding to his friend before he returned his attention to Meryl's questioning, and somewhat fearful, face. He gave her a reassuring smile, feeling her features softened at his attempt at comfort.

"Millie, can you watch Meryl for a second?" he asked, receiving a positive reply.

Standing up, Vash followed the priest out of the room, closing the door behind them. Breathing a heavy sigh, he turned toward his friend with a saddened face.

"Well Vash, what are we going to do?" Wolfwood whispered, not wanting the girls to overhear. "I think they're willing to follow us if they think we're in trouble. But we can't stay with them."

The blond nodded his head in agreement, turning his face back to the closed door. He could hear Meryl and Millie softly talking, though he chose not to listen into their conversation. He sighed quietly, returning his gaze to the expectant priest.

"We have to tell them everything, and they have to decide" he answered, a sad smile crossing his lips. They could only hope the two would forgive them for their secrets, and choose the safest path they saw for themselves.

An hour later found the four in the kitchen, tension thick in the air. Meryl and Millie sat opposite Vash at the kitchen table, their eyes fixed on the blond intently. Wolfwood was complacently leaning against the wall connecting to the living room, smoking a cigarette and waiting for his friend to begin.

"I didn't believe in vampires either, until several years ago" Vash began, trying to gather the courage needed to tell his tale. "I never knew my parents, and had always lived with my older twin brother, Knives, in the city of December. We got jobs when they came, ate what we wanted, and slept in a warm bed when we had money. That's pretty much how our life was for a long time, living off what we had and enjoying each other's company, no one else's. Until the winter we were about twenty years old."

Meryl and Millie's eyes had widened slightly at the mention of an older brother, but neither had spoken. Interrupting Vash in his story would have made the blond more uncomfortable than he already was, and would have made the tale that much harder to tell.

"My brother was savagely attacked one night while he was walking to the house we were staying at. Before sunrise, I found him on the doorstep and dragged him to his bed." Vash paused for a moment, reliving the memories. After a shaky breath, he continued. "I thought he was in a coma, but...I was wrong. He had died during the night, all his blood taken by a vampire."

Meryl silently nodded for him to continue, her eyes never leaving the broken figure before her.

"He woke up a few days later. I was so happy to see his eyes open that I didn't notice the different color. Or how hard they looked." Vash sighed, pacing himself during the resurfacing memories. "But I noticed the change in his manner soon enough. He refused to come outside during the day, and he had a growing hatred for humans. He kept saying how they were inferior and were destroying each other." Tears grew in his eyes, though he managed to keep them from pooling over. "But I ignored all these differences. I just wanted everything to be like they were, with both of us together."

"What happened?" Meryl asked quietly, resting her hand over his.

Vash blushed at the contact, but didn't pull away. He was silently grateful for her comforting presence, and her willingness to hear and understand.

"He...he attacked me one night, a few weeks after he'd been turned. I couldn't fight back, he was so much stronger than me. He ripped open his wrist, forced me to drink some of his blood. Then the sun rose and he left me, barely alive after our struggle. But his plan failed, he'd thought merely a blood transfer was enough to change me. When I had enough strength, I...I ran. I couldn't kill my own brother, no matter what he'd become." A single tear slid down his pale cheek, when suddenly a small hand brushed the drop away.

Only a few hours earlier, Meryl would have thought the man before her had gone insane. The idea of vampires existing in the world was ludicrous, especially to her calculating mind. But the sheer conviction in his voice, and what she had seen for herself, eliminated all doubt from her thoughts. All her fear from the confrontation the night before was swept aside by her caring nature. When she'd seen the water sliding down his face, she couldn't help but try to wipe away his sorrow.

"Ever since then, Knives can sense where I am, but I can't sense him unless he wants me to. That's how his messenger found us, and you two. My brother's threatened your lives, and now you're both in danger because of me." He pulled his hand out from Meryl's, his head hanging in shame at the peril he had inadvertently caused the two insurance girls.

"What other...affects, are there?" Meryl asked hesitantly, not really sure if she wanted to know. Every tale she'd heard of vampires was less than flattering, especially concerning their eating habits. The idea that this goofy, spiky-haired idiot could be a creature so horrible was still hard to grasp.

"There's the hunger" Vash said quietly, averting his eyes from everyone. Especially Meryl's. "I...I only feel the need when someone is bleeding. Another reason not to shoot people" he quietly chuckled, though there was little mirth in his voice.

"Do you need to eat anything?" Millie suddenly asked, startling Meryl out of her shocked expression.

After all, if she'd been injured last night by the drunk, she had no idea how the blond would have reacted. Meryl tried to suppress the shudder, horrible images coming to her mind. Vash had been startling enough within the darkness....and his eyes....

A sheepish grin crept on the blond's face, as he lowered his head and scratched the back of his neck. "My body isn't able to produce enough sucrose in my system, so I have to eat a lot of sweets."

"Are you saying you survive on sugar?" Meryl asked him incredulously, shaking herself from the morbid thoughts. Her earlier suspicions about his eating habits may have actually been the truth, and the only thing she wanted to do was knock her head against the table at the pathetic irony. Though his revealed eating habits did explain the vehicle filled to overflowing with the round sweets.

"Yeah" he said, nodding his head. Vash stuffed a few donuts from an open box on the table into his mouth, as if to emphasize his point, before elaborating further. "I only eat other food to keep everyone's suspicions off me."

Meryl suddenly coughed, cigarette smoke invading her lungs. She turned her head toward the reclined figure against the wall, her brows crashing down. Another conspirator in their midst.

"You knew of this, didn't you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. The answer to the question was apparent, but she still felt the need to scare someone out of their wits.

Wolfwood held up his hands defensively, knowing well enough that any word he spoke would ignite the small dynamic woman scowling at him. Slowing he slid the short distance along the wall, quickly disappearing out of sight. Then the noise of footsteps quickly climbing the stairs was heard, followed by the slamming of a bedroom door. After a few seconds of silence, in which Meryl was trying hard to stay mad at the obviously terrified priest, Millie stood up, stretching her back and yawning.

"I think I'll hit the sack" she said, giving the two a warm smile. With a final goodnight wave, she left to sleep.

Meryl stared at the retreating tall female, her mouth slightly open. She still marveled at how her partner could accept people's differences with such ease, even one as large as species. And now that they knew their life was in danger, she seemed just as calm as usual. Sometimes the small insurance girl envied Millie's innocence, though she knew there was wisdom in the words the big girl spoke.

"I'll leave if you want me to" a voice whispered.

Meryl turned her eyes back to the blond before her, whose head was hanging down dejectedly. Her heart softened at the saddened man before her, especially after hearing his story. The betrayal of family must have been heart breaking to such a kind soul.

"Don't be foolish" she said, pushing back her chair. Meryl managed to let a short laugh escape her mouth, trying to comfort his unease. "You're our guest, and you really don't have anywhere else to go."

Vash lifted his head, his eyes wide in surprise. Meryl's word slowly sunk in, and a small smile crept across his face. He suddenly stood up and hugged her tight, making the small insurance girl blush. She felt no impulse to push him away, the contact being more gentle then the last time he had shown her such affection.

"Thank you" he softly whispered in her ear, before releasing her and walking out of the room.

Meryl stood there for a few moments, her face still reddened by his sudden contact. Letting a smile slide along her lips and shaking her head, she went to prepare for bed.


	6. Disturbing Thoughts

A/N: Another chapter added to the ranks. Thanks for reading and reviewing!!!

Disturbing Thoughts

Wolfwood walked down the stairs a week later, enjoying the peaceful afternoon. Everything had been relatively calm since the disastrous date and day of reckoning, no one mentioning Vash's...differences. Whether out of courtesy or fear, he had yet to discover from the insurance girls.

But since Vash had revealed his secret, the smaller insurance girl had been keeping a closer eye on the both of them, especially the gunman. The male companions had yet to figure out if the looks she had been giving him were one of suspicion or worry. Her moods were so intricately connected. Suddenly a loud yell erupted from the kitchen, followed closely by a red blur flying out of the said room, landing in a neat pile in front of the priest.

"Needle noggin, are you trying to get yourself killed?" Wolfwood asked, shaking his head. He knew the exact reason for his friend's sudden dramatic appearance, and could only wonder at his apparent stupidity. Possibly the color of his mind set now matched the color of his hair.

"No" Vash whined, rubbing the assortment of lumps and bruises on his head.

"Then why are you pissing her off so much?! That's the seventh time in three days you've clung onto her like a parasite. You've become her personal punching bag."

"Well, I've been feeling strange lately" Vash answered slowly. He rolled so he now sat at the priest's feet, rubbing his bruised back.

"How?" Wolfwood asked, now gazing through narrowed eyes. Surprises were definitely not welcome, and often meant trouble for them. And Vash's surprises usually dealt with either gun fights to save some poor soul or strange obsessions with women who found him annoying.

"Well" Vash started, scratching the back of his head. "I've kinda been feeling hungry." He cringed when he saw his friend stiffen.

"What kind of hunger, Vash?" he asked, a slight edge in his tone. Wolfwood was liking this conversation less than before.

"It's not what you're thinking" Vash said quickly, holding his hands up defensively. "You know I can control my thirst pretty well. Geez, no trust" he pouted, slouching his head.

"Then what type of hunger is it?" Wolfwood asked, getting impatient. Why didn't Vash just tell him what the hell the problem was?

"Um, a little more primitive" Vash said, rushing through his words. His face turned an interesting shade of red while he fidgeted with the hands in his lap. The blond couldn't stop thinking of the night he'd held her in his arms, and the fact that Meryl hadn't pulled away from his touch. Her body had been so soft and her curves had fit perfectly against his own....

Wolfwood stared at Vash for several seconds, mouth open as if to speak. He couldn't believe his best friend was even _suggesting _something so ridiculous with the short girl, especially with the possibility of getting a serious bruising for his efforts. But the disturbingly lecherous grin growing on his friend's face proved his worst fears, and the man in black began counting the days off when the blond would probably die for his actions. Images of him being beaten to death by a very violated Meryl flashed through his mind. Suddenly realizing he must look ridiculous, the priest closed his mouth and cleared his throat loudly. "Vash, I don't think that's a good idea."

"You think I don't know that?" Vash asked, rising to his feet and pacing the room. "I mean, she has those derringers, and then there's her attitude. Even my regenerative abilities are having a hard time recovering from her punches."

Wolfwood rubbed his temple, trying to fight off the headache coming swiftly. "Damn it needle noggin, how do you get me into these messes?"

"Hey, you came on your own. Besides, you're the one who suggested we follow them" Vash bit back. He caught himself, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead in perfect imitation of his friend. "Even her moods swings are starting to get to me" he muttered. "Why does she have to smell so enticing?"

"Vash, right now I really need you to keep a level head" Wolfwood whispered, his face becoming serious.

"I know" Vash answered, cupping his head in his hands. "Seems like we're both having troubles with our demons, huh?" He lifted his head, giving the priest a sad small. Then the blond jumped up, his usual grin back on his face. "But we must protect the women!" he cried, only to be smashed down to the floor.

Meryl's small figure walked out of the kitchen doorway, which the fallen gunman had been standing in when making his proclamation to the world. A whimpering came from the floor, as Wolfwood enjoyed the sight before him. The small insurance girl glared at the mess of limbs and red at her feet, rubbing her temple.

"Broom head" she mumbled, walking past Wolfwood and climbing the stairs.

"Well" Vash said, after Meryl was out of ear shot. "At least she didn't hear anything else."

Unfortunately, the temperamental woman _had_ heard something else. The entire conversation, actually; from start to finish. She wasn't sure what to think of Vash's growing 'attention' toward her, but her actions toward him were confusing even her. She'd never attacked someone so violently as she did to the blond, even her old boyfriends never received such harsh treatment. Sometimes he just made her feel so...uncomfortable, as if she was letting out some sort of frustration.

But all things considered, Vash wasn't that bad of a person...vampire...or whatever he was. He played with the town's children constantly, when he wasn't sleeping in or working that is, and helped around with the house chores. His eating habits were still annoying, especially when he had shoved an entire box of donuts into his mouth, but he had never caused the girls too much grief. Except for the threat on their lives...

Meryl sighed. She tried to keep her thoughts from venturing to that portion of the discussion they'd had with Vash, and had done a suitable job of blocking the memories. After all, there wasn't much else they could do except wait for his brother or minions to attack them. The knowing danger lurking around every corner of the day was grating on her nerves, adding to the punishment she inflicted on the lecherous gunman.

But the implications of what Vash was silently asking were just a little too strong to leave her mind, and she idly wondered what a relationship with him would be like. Meryl shook her head rapidly from side to side, trying to clear her increasingly disturbing thoughts. Though the idea did appeal to her on a more base level....

"Meryl?" a voice suddenly called. Millie's head peeked into the room, a bright smile lighting her features when she saw the small woman sitting on the bed. "Mr. Vash and Mr. Priest are going to the bar, and they invited us to go along."

Meryl had to cover her face to hide a smile. Millie had yet to call Wolfwood by his real name, though he still hadn't given up on convincing her otherwise. But she had to focus on matters at hand, which now her friend's sudden question.

"Why not?" Meryl answered, smiling at her partner.

"Yay!!" Millie yelled, raising her hands above her head and clapping. "I'll go tell them" she said, rushing from the room.

"They probably already know" Meryl sighed, her ears ringing from the shout. She stood and grabbed her cloak from the closet, looking forward to the relaxing evening spent with her friends. Walking through the hallway and down the stairs, she heard the eager sounds of three voices preparing for the trip. She smiled and met the other house occupants in the living room, where they departed to the tavern the boys often patronized.

The four sat down at a window table, all enjoying the setting suns in the distance. When the bright orbs sank below the horizon, Vash removed his sunglasses and quickly hailed the first waitress he could find, ordering enough drinks to pay for a month's worth of rent. But no one minded the heavy bill racking up, even Meryl was feeling in too good a mood to shout at his apparent lack of economics. For the next few hours, the friends enjoyed the company of each other, the many bottles of boos on the table, and the occasional scene of Vash attempting to flirt with a waitress.

Nearing midnight, there came the sound of a scream from the building, followed by the ejection of a certain blond gunman from the local establishment. An intoxicated group staggered through the tavern doors after the red-clad figure, the two tallest leaning against each other while the smaller one shook her head in pitied amusement.

The three walked over to the fallen gunman, who was muttering something about "I didn't mean it that way" into the ground. Meryl sighed and helped him stand, nearly stumbling when he leaned most of his weight into her frame. She smiled at the remembrance of such a position, wondering if he was aware he was imitating the first time they had met.

Suddenly the wind began to emerge from the desert to their backs, racing across the ground with unnatural speed. They turned their heads around and watched with horror filled fascination as the gusts approached the small town, engulfing buildings in its wake. A dark cloud, the sign of a sandstorm, appeared over the dark horizon, following in the gusts' wakes. Then they were surrounded by the rolling earth, entrapping the shocked group in the eye of the small cyclone of dirt and dust. Vash quickly snapped out of the supposed stupor of alcohol, straightening his back and setting his lips in a thin line. He turned to Meryl and almost roughly wrapped an arm around her waist, seeing Wolfwood do the same to Millie.

Vash looked into the sea of swirling sand, trying to discern where the expected threat would come. Then he saw what he was looking for, the design of a face appearing against the wall of moving earth. Golden eyes peered at the faces of the four, all of whom stared back with equal fervor. The lids finally narrowed on the blond gunman and the woman he held.

"Vash the Stampede" a voice spoke, merging with the air around the group.

Meryl grasped Vash's arm with her hands, feeling a chill come over her with those few words. The voice permeated every part of her being, the emotionless tone sending shivers down her spine. The small insurance girl couldn't fight the feeling of despair from her mind, all other thoughts fleeing before the all consuming whispers of the demon before her. She would have collapsed with the sense of nothingness if the blond next to her hand not given her hands a brief squeeze with his own.

"What do you want?" Vash asked, soothingly rubbing the small girl's hands. He was glad to see Wolfwood doing the same to Millie, the kind soul of the big girl being bombarded with such blatant coldness.

Meryl's heart lifted at hearing his steady voice and strong tone, nearly managing a smile at the challenging words he'd spoken. Though the insane idea of never leaving the house to avoid such confrontations flashed through her mind, considering trouble always found them. But she was glad to know her sense of humor was still intact and willing to be her fail safe in the situation.

"My master has decided to grace you with his presence" the voice stated, neither increasing nor decreasing in pitch.

Vash tightened his grip on Meryl, his eyes narrowing at the messenger. "Not here" he said. "I won't meet with him anywhere near the girls." He mentally sighed when he felt Meryl return the gesture, her hands as steady as his own and her breathing stabilizing.

After a moment's hesitation, in which the eyes flickered for a moment, the orbs once more became focused.

"I will deliver your message to the Master, and he will see fit to decide the place of meeting" the stranger spoke.

With a final look to the group, the eyes slowly melted into the sand. The storm around them dissipated with the passing of the demon, returning to the scenic calm of a few minutes previous. The girls breathed a sigh of relief, while the two men looked at one another, their expressions filled with uncertainty....


	7. Conversing With the Devil

A/N: Sorry it took so long with this chapter. Depression, exams, birthday, alcohol poisoning, and a bad cold kept me from writing.

Conversing With the Devil

The group merely stood there for a few minutes in silence, each pondering what the stranger had said and what Vash had agreed to. The two men exchanged glances of worry before turning their attentions to the women by their sides. Millie and Meryl were slightly shaken by the surprise encounter and sudden departure of the monster, but both hid their fear from their male counterparts as best they could.

Meryl's mind was buzzing with questions as she tried to organize her usually ordered thoughts. The meeting had been more than she had expected, and the danger they had all been in was blatantly obvious from what the stranger had shown them. She had no knowledge of anyone being able to use the sand as he had and the idea made her uncomfortable, crumbling her reality with the possibilities of even stranger encounters.

Suddenly she noticed a tugging at her arm and Meryl realized he was asking her if she was alright. The question almost made her laugh, but there was genuine caring in his voice and she opted for an interrogation.

"Who was that?" Meryl asked, turning toward Vash and pointing to where the swirling vortex of sand had been but moments before. "And why did he call you the Stampede?" The small insurance girl had heard of a growing insurance liability to her company nicknamed 'the Stampede,' but surely this idiot couldn't hold the title.

Vash 's eyes slowly looked to her own, their depths filled with many emotions. The most prevalent was worry, and the Meryl knew he was putting their safety ahead of his own. Possibly the only reason he had agreed to meet with his psychotic brother was to insure their lives.

"His name is Legato" Vash finally spoke, after a minute of watching Meryl's questioning eyes. "He's Knives' personal servant, probably he found him on his search to prove the faults of humanity to me. I don't know if he was like he is now before or after he met my brother. I hope before."

"Is that why your brother has threatened us?" Meryl questioned, catching a part of his explanation. "Because he wants you to see how cruel humans can be?"

The blond gunman nodded his head, looking toward his friend and the big girl. Wolfwood was also trying to explain the situation as best he could to Millie, though by the sounds of their voices she already knew just as much as them. How she knew so much when her actions showed so little understanding was a mystery to Vash. But then, isn't that what he had done most of his life?

Sighing, Meryl took charge of the situation and quickly assembled the group, marching them home for some much needed rest. After returning, everyone retired to their rooms and reappeared late the next morning. Even Vash emerged from his room earlier than his usual time, showing he had not slept well, or maybe at all, since the encounter. The confrontation last night rested on everyone's minds and Millie and Meryl would have gladly tried to persuade Vash to stop his intended meeting if they believed they could. Unfortunately, both knew he would go see his brother, regardless of their pleas, to try and coerce the homicidal twin to stop his death threats against them.

When night fell on the uneasy house, Vash said his good-byes and quickly took his leave. They all watched him leave from the porch, as if this were the last time they would see him again. Meryl's tense form stood beside Wolfwood's, her body and mind both telling her to run after the blond and force him to stop his foolish journey.

"It'll be alright. Vash can take care of himself if something goes wrong" Wolfwood spoke, lighting a cigarette. "Besides, Knives doesn't want to kill him, so he won't."

"Why won't he kill him?" Meryl softly asked, turning her head toward the priest and raising a brow. "I thought Knives hated him." The relationship as she understood was complicated and, with the introduction of threats, had more dire involvement for the gunman. She believed, given the chance, the insane brother would more than not murder his human loving sibling for the blond's stand against his ideals.

"No" Wolfwood said firmly, taking a breath on his cigarette. "Knives wants Vash to join him. Though whether as a vampire or what he is now needle noggin hasn't told me."

Meanwhile, Vash proceeded down the dark and mostly deserted streets, following his senses Knives allowed himself to be found. He was thankful for the lack of human population during the night, making the coming discussion all the more easier without interruption. His brother would surely kill anyone who would accidentally or purposefully stumble across their talk.

Vash turned down a side street and entered the darkened territory, carefully watching his surroundings. Reaching the end, the way opened to a few small houses around a small square, their darkened windows and dusty boardwalks showing they had not been used for a long while. His eyes wandered to a lone light lit opposite him, a simple lantern hanging from a pole. Then a cloaked figure stepped out of the darkness behind the lantern, stopping at the edge of the light, a hood lowered over the face. Darkened shadows stared at the blond gunman closely, as if trying to understand what his intentions were.

"Greetings, brother" the figure finally spoke, the figure slightly raising its head to show two clear blue eyes peering amusingly at the blond. "I see you did not bring any human filth with you, a sign of your loyalty to me."

"Knives, humans are not your enemy!" Vash exclaimed, stepping toward the darkened form. "You were one once, don't you remember?"

"Vash, we have had this discussion before" the voice hissed, the body visibly tensing. "I do not care to recall those times, and wonder what you see in such filth when you are above them. They care for no one but themselves, feeding off one another, hoarding and consuming resources." Then the figure paused, as if considering his next words with great care. "If you believe the one's you now travel with are different, then you are a bigger fool than I have taken you for."

Vash looked toward Knives in confusion, his mind not believing what his ears were telling him. Had he heard a tinge of jealousy in those words?

A low, mirthless chuckle echoed in the air around them.

"You must be more careful, dear brother, your thoughts are slipping" the figure spoke. "Do you truly believe I would be jealous of those creatures? And jealousy, one of those foolish humans emotions you seem so intent on keeping alive. Such detestable creatures to have so hostile of feelings."

"They're not all like that, and you know it. At least" the blond gunman added, "you used to believe so." The last few words came out as a whisper, as if Vash himself hardly believed what he was saying. The time seemed so long ago since they had been playing in the streets with other children their age, the sun shining brightly over them like a watchful parent.

"I was weak" the figure countered, turning from the blond. "And I see you still are, so I believe we have nothing left to discuss. But maybe soon you'll change your mind." With that mysterious statement, the cloaked form disappeared into the darkness before Vash could stop him.

Vash looked sadly at where his brother had stood, a heated breeze releasing the tears he had managed to hold in his eyes during their conversation. He'd failed again to change his sibling's mind, an exact repetition of each of their encounters. His shoulders slumped in weariness as he slowly turned away from the darkened shadows. He trudged back to the house forlornly, his head hung low and his attention deep in his thoughts.

Meryl was sitting on the porch when she saw Vash come in sight of the house. She knew by his posture the talk had not gone as well as he'd hoped. Watching silently as he reached the edge of the boards, he gave her a small smile before sitting down on one of the plank steps. With his back now turned to her, the small insurance girl had time to register what she had seen in his eyes. Pain and disappointment had been reflected in his aqua-green eyes, emotions she never thought to see on his face. She stood and moved over to his distraught form, seating herself a step above his person.

Vash felt her move closer, her silent effort to comfort him giving a thrill to his saddened heart. He felt infinitely grateful for her calm understanding and willingness to accept what he was. Inching closer to her still form, he boldly settled his head down upon her lap. Breathing in her alluring scent, he relaxed his body and sighed.

Meryl didn't stop his actions as he leaned into her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Rather, she willingly cradled his head in her lap, rocking slowly as she finally felt him relax. For all his goofy antics and shows of bravery with his gun, he was still so lost in this world. An innocent trapped in a world full of sin, but trying his best to make everyone's lives better. She sighed and began to stroke his long hair, the softness surprising her.

One of her eyebrows suddenly twitched when she felt him nuzzle even closer to her body, his hands moving down to rest on her hips. She looked down to give him a piece of her mind when her eyes widened in surprise, then softened while a smile crept onto her face. The ordeal of the two nights had apparently taken their toll, and his body had finally succumbed to a deep sleep.

Meryl watched as the sun rose in the distance, still gently stroking Vash's hair. The light crept toward them slowly, the touch of warmth reaching them before the rays. She basked in the welcomed day as her eyes turned toward the face of the angel she held.

Vash's eyes suddenly shot open, their normally green-tinged glow now a startling red. Meryl pulled her hands away as he sat up, his eyes blinking painfully in the strong light. Turning his head toward her, his gaze softened for a moment before he tightened his arms around her waist and stood, lifting her with him. He quickly strode into the house and up the stairs, still carrying her in his tight hold. Reaching the bedroom he used, the blond quickly slammed the door behind them and walked over to the bed.

When he gently set her down, Meryl had time to look at her surroundings. Vash had been given the room to himself shortly after they'd moved in, Wolfwood not wanting to disturb him and gladly taking the couch. She noticed the windows, situated on the left wall, were covered by thick blankets, blocking most of the suns rays and casting the room in semi-darkness. His bag had been placed atop the dress to the right wall of the bed, with the door to the bath situated closer to the main entrance.

Meryl turned her attention back to who had brought her here, her breath catching at the sight before her eyes. Vash was leaning to the right of the door against the wall, his back slightly hunched and his unblinking eyes watching her carefully. She shivered when he pushed himself off the wall and slowly walked toward her, his stride leading slowly to her left. She had the distinct feeling of being stalked and tried to rein in the rising fear, knowing well she had to bring Vash out of his uncontrolled state.

Growing tired of the situation and gathering her strength, Meryl stood from the bed and placed her hands on her hips. Vash saw her movement but merely stopped his stalking, standing a mere foot from her location. Stepping toward the still red eyed blond, she observed his reaction to her movements. Apparently she had entirely captured his focus, his bright orbs merely watching her body with an enamored look. Seeing the perfect opening, she quickly raised her hand and brought the fist upon the back of his head.

Vash promptly grabbed the back of his head with a whimper, his eyes slowly fading to the usual aqua-green.

"Thanks" he muttered sincerely, rubbing the swelling bump growing on his head.

"What was that, Vash?" Meryl questioned, her hand still raised in an offensive pose. She realized he was once more in charge of his faculties, but she feared the attack would once more come as suddenly as before.

Vash sighed and walked over to the bed, seating himself on the edge. He rested his forehead in the palms of his hands, his back slightly bowed as his eyes turned toward the floor.

"I lost control" he whispered, flinching when he felt her tense at his statement. "I haven't let the monster out for several years, but I guess the talk with Knives and the sun kinda crumbled some of my walls" he continued, listening as Meryl moved slowly over to his form. He stiffened as a hand slid around his shoulders and a small head rested itself on his arm. Turning in some confusion, he saw the small insurance girl leaning against him. Her eyes were shut and her breathing was even, and for a moment he thought she was asleep.

"Everyone loses control sometimes" she suddenly whispered, startling him slightly. "We just have to move on and try to correct any mistakes. It's all we can do."

Vash smiled as he turned and hugged the woman next to him, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears. But this time, they were tears of joy rather than sorrow.

Suddenly a mischievous idea came to his mind and he clutched her tighter to him. Then he proceeded to move back further onto the bed, taking his prize with him. Meryl opened her eyes and shot him a dangerous look, but he merely quickened his pace. Soon they were against the headboard, the pillows stacked behind them and a sheet tossed over their clothed bodies.

"Comfier?" he asked with a grin.

"I guess" Meryl admitted, resting her head once more against his shoulder and drifting off to sleep. Vash joined her only moments later, an arm wrapped around her shoulders and a sly smirk on his face.


	8. Several Complications

A/N: Another chapter up. And to Aine, your question will be answered in this chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Several Complications

Meryl slowly awoke the next morning, her body curled around a warm, if unmoving, object. She snuggled closer, knowing the day was Saturday and she would not need to go to work until later in the afternoon. Suddenly she felt a soft rumble against her head and a hand settle on her left shoulder. Her eyes shot open, the sight of a bright red cloth filling her entire vision. She slowly turned her head upwards and blushed, meeting the gaze of a very amused blonde.

Meryl looked at the position they were currently in. Her body was curled around the gunman's waist, her arms around him and her face buried into his jacket. Vash had one arm on the small of her back while the other was still laying on her shoulder. He seemed more than pleased she was practically laying in his lap, his aqua-green eyes dancing with glee.

"What are you doing?" Meryl softly asked, none of her usual ferocity in the tone. The compromising position they were in numbed her anger, also the idea that both of them may be at fault coming to her mind.

"You sorta climbed into my lap last night" Vash said sheepishly, a small blush growing on his own cheeks. "I didn't really want to wake you and you were kinda warm."

Meryl looked at him for a moment longer, her actions during the night startling her usually cautious nature. She nodded in understanding then proceeded to rise...only to be stopped by the hand still on her shoulder. The small insurance girl shot the gunman a suspicious look, her eyes gesturing towards his arm for him to remove the limb from her.

"Do you have to get up?" Vash asked, his grin growing wider. "Millie told me yesterday you didn't have to go to work until later."

Meryl wasn't sure whether to curse or thank her best friend. She was comfortable in her position, but the proximity of their bodies was causing a heated reaction in her body. Shifting a little with the increasing tension, she gasped as Vash's grip increased and stopped her movements. She turned her head to look at him and felt the blush move across her aching body when her eyes settled upon his own.

The gunman's eyes were swirling with a mix of emotions and colors, the many suppressed expressions causing her head to swim. She noticed the feelings of apprehension, fear, and an unusual discomfort. However, the most dominant emotion was lust, the red irises showing his faltering control and the emergence of his vampiric side.

"Vash" Meryl spoke softly, reaching a hand up and brushing her palm against his cheek. She giggled when he purred and leaned into the touch, his eyes calming and softly closing with her comforting touch. "We have to get up sometime."

"Not now" he whispered, his tone now more of a rumble. "Later."

Meryl shivered at the emotions in those few words, her side suddenly shifting against something hard. She stiffened and her blush deepened, a low growl echoing above her. Seeing his preoccupation with her unintentional shifting, the small insurance girl freed herself from his loose grasp and slid off the bed. Backing away from the stunned gunman, she finally reached the door and searched for the knob.

Unfortunately, Vash realized what she intended to do and was suddenly at her side before she could blink. He merely stood beside her for a moment, neither speaking nor blinking. Meryl stared back, her body shaking and the instinct to run nearly overpowering her common sense to remain still.

"Vash, I want to leave" she said, slowly reaching out and resting her hand on his chest. "Please?"

Vash's eyes widened as the red color melted from the aqua, a trembling hand pressing over hers. Tears began to fall from his orbs, slipping down his smooth face and catching in the down turned lips. Several fell to Meryl's arm, causing moisture to come to her own eyes.

"I'm sorry, Vash" Meryl spoke, releasing her hand and wrapping her arms around his waist. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"How can you be so forgiving?" he whispered, returning the gesture by wrapping his own arms around her back. "I don't deserve you."

A short, barking laugh escaped Meryl's lips as she pulled away from him. A small smile shone on her face while her arms settled at her sides. She lifted one hand and playfully pointed a finger into his chest, causing a confused expression to pass through Vash's eyes. The precise reaction she wanted, as she lifted herself on her toes and brushed her lips against his.

"No you don't" she whispered against his surprised mouth.

Suddenly turning on her heels, Meryl opened the door and walked out of the room. Leaving a very confused and blushing gunman in her wake.

Several days later Meryl was again walking home after her late job, the full moon slowly moving over the clear sky. She sighed, a feeling of both relief and discomfort coming over her mood. The lack of attacks and threats was a welcomed reprieve, but she was also worried about the strange quiet in their lives.

Then the situation with Vash had grown slightly more...intimate. Meaning she had no room to herself. The blond gunman was practically latched around her every time she returned from work or an errand, constantly hovering over her and never leaving her presence until bedtime. He would have gladly joined her there but she adamantly refused, the implications the blond made being more than obvious.

Millie was also having her own 'problems' with increasingly lecherous Wolfwood, the sudden change in his usually closed personality surprising Meryl. However, the big girl took everything in stride. Never once did she complain about the less than innocent remarks being made by the priest during the past few days, her gentle smile and clueless face always present. The smaller girl marveled at her partner's patience, she herself having already painfully smacked Vash several times with his antics.

Finally reaching the house and stepping onto the porch, Meryl looked to the sky and gazed at the full moons. They glowed brightly, casting shadows here and there in the empty streets. Turning back to the house and opening the door, she was surprised to see Vash walk up from the basement. Noticing the small insurance standing in the open doorway, the blond slammed the door shut behind him and quickly locked the bolt of the former jail's door.

"What were you doing down there?" Meryl asked, looking between the door and the gunman.

"Nothing" Vash said, stepping in front of her. "So...how was your job?" he asked. Not turning his eyes from her form, he placed the basement keys back on the hook next to the metal door.

Meryl rolled her eyes, trying once again to sidestep the gunman and his attempt at changing the subject. A low growl escaped her throat when he once more stood in her way, her temper flaring from his intrusion to her curiosity. Besides, he had no right to bar her way to any portion of the house, a large portion of the house payment coming from her own paycheck. But seeing his determined face and unmoving form, she knew she would be forced to use drastic measures to accomplish her task.

"Millie, I need you to distract Vash while I find out what's in the basement" Meryl explained, peeking out the door to see him sitting on the couch near the door.

"But why don't we have Mr. Priest help us?" Millie asked.

"I can't seem to find him. Besides, he might be in on this, too" the short girl surmised, finally opening the portal and slowly walking out. She gestured for her partner to walk down the stairs and begin her distraction, watching as Millie nodded and walked down the steps. Stepping up to Vash, the big girl began a conversation with him while Meryl slunk around the shadowed banister upstairs. The small insurance girl did feel a twinge of guilt for what they were doing but she was tired of the mystery surrounding the blond gunman, especially when said man was surrounding her.

Millie was able to lead Vash into one of the bathrooms on the lower floor, the excuse being a plugged pipe that needed tending. Meryl sneaked down the stairs and past the mostly closed door with the two occupants, noiselessly grabbing the keys hanging from the hook. Swiftly unlocking the metal portal and sliding into the basement, she closed the door behind her with some regret. The room was pitch black without the light from the living room and she could not recall where the light switch was situated.

Slowly stepping down the creaky stares, wincing at every noise, Meryl squinted her eyes into the total darkness in an effort to see what Vash had been doing. Her efforts were fruitless as she stepped down off the last stair and looked to her left, seeing the outlines of the two cells.

Suddenly two bright yellow orbs lit within the cell closest to her, causing a muffled squeak to escape from her lungs. She backed against the wall, watching as the unmoving lights blinked slowly in the dark. The insurance girl gathered her courage and slowly inched closer, tentatively reaching out her hand to grasp the bars and peer through the iron grates.

Suddenly the door opened and the light switch at the top of the stairs was flicked on, showing what she had been approaching. With an ear piercing scream, Meryl stumbled back and was caught in the arms of Vash. She turned into his comforting embrace, both for the protection and to hide her eyes from the form pacing in the cell.

A huge humanoid wolf was prowling the length of the cell, his unblinking yellow eyes watching the two. The matted grey fur blended in with the darkened cell walls and massive claw-tipped paws echoed along the cobble floor, the front arms longer than the short back feet. A long tail swept the air angrily and the hunched back bristled with indignation. The monster bared his fangs at the smell of fear coming from Meryl and lunged toward the bars, clawing and gnashing at the source of the delicious smell.

Meryl squeaked and buried herself deeper into the folds of Vash's coat, tightening her hold on his arms. He backed them away from the bars, a sad smile on his face as he watched Millie tentatively walk down the stairs. Her face showed signs of a growing fear, though the most dominant emotion was a pained grief at seeing the animal in the cage. She knew who it was.

"Um, what are you doing down here?" Vash asked innocently, turning to the small woman he held. He wilted under the glare from Meryl as she lifted her head and willingly crashed to the ground when she smacked the back of his head. He supposed the treatment was more than deserved.

Vash, Millie and Meryl once more sat at the kitchen table, the two insurance girls staring at the blond gunman. The smaller woman's fingers were tapping on the wooden surface, her eyes narrowed and her mouth set in a thin line. Though Millie tried to lighten the spirit with a cheery face, her usual smile was smaller than was normal for her. Vash sat there stiffly, his head hung and his fingers nervously twitching in his lap.

"And when were you planning on telling us that Wolfwood was a...werewolf?" Meryl finally ground out, never believing she would ever be forced to say that name. Not receiving an answer quick enough for her liking from the quiet outlaw, she pointed to the door which led to the animal prowling in its cell. She gave another threatening rumble toward the gunman as a signal to start his explanation.

"Um...never?" Vash honestly replied, receiving a knock on the head. "Ouch..." he said, rubbing the growing lump carefully. "You know, it's not like this is my fault. He was like this when I found him."

"And when did you find him?" she questioned.

"About forty years ago" Vash answered. "I really did find him in the desert, completely lost and nearly dead. I brought him to the closest town at about the new full moon and...saw what he turned into. I couldn't leave him by himself to harm others and he knew he couldn't control himself when he was transformed, so we kinda stuck with each other. And because of what he is, he seems to have stopped aging like I have. Kinda made us the perfect friends."

Meryl rubbed her temple, feeling a headache coming on. Then a sudden thought came to her, a remembrance of the tales she'd heard as a child. "Wait a minute..." She looked into the aqua eyes which were staring nervously at her. "Aren't vampires supposed to be able to control wolves in the legends?" she asked suspiciously, turning to the door leading to the trapped animal that was Wolfwood.

"Yeah" Vash said quietly, also gazing at his friend. "Believe me, Knives has tried to do just that. That's one of the reasons why I have to keep him locked up."

"And another?"

"He tends to want to eat people."

"Great" Meryl muttered, trying to force the rather unbelievable sight from her mind's eye. Then her lavender eyes flew open as she looked quickly to the nervous blond before her, a question buzzing through her thoughts which greatly frightened her. "How many people has he killed?" she asked quietly.

"None since I've known him" Vash quickly replied, seeing the worried expression on the small girl's face. "But then, I've always been able to keep him away from humans on full moons."

Meryl stood up, slamming her hands down on the table.

"Vash, you idiot!" she yelled causing even Millie to wince. "We're in one of the most populated areas on Gunsmoke, and you pick now to tell us this!"

"Well, I didn't think he'd bother anyone" Vash said, shrinking under Meryl's intense gaze. "He's locked up in the basement and he usually doesn't try to escape if I feed him some meat."

"Where did you get the money to buy meat!" she asked loudly. Then Meryl remembered he had his own job, along with a weekly allowance of sorts. She ashamedly slipped back down to her chair, realizing she was doing more harm than good with her outrage. "I'm sorry, I know I worry too much" she admitted, trying to give a reassuring smile to Vash. Sighing in relief as he returned her gesture, the small girl rubbed her temples and let her gaze drift to the metal door. "Are you sure he can't get out?" she asked quietly.

"Positive."


	9. Trouble Comes In Threes

A/N: Delayed chapter because of Finals. Thanks for waiting!

Trouble Comes In Threes

Vash walked sleepily down the stairs, his eyes avoiding the glare of the morning sun shining through the living room's closed windows. Strolling into the kitchen, he looked around for the short girl. To his disappointment, the room was empty, so he decided to sit down upon one of the chairs and wait for her eventual arrival.

Vash suddenly heard a high pitched scream, followed by another less glass-breaking yell. They joined together for a few seconds, creating a horrible chorus of surprise and shock. Then there was the sound of feet running up the basement stairs, followed by the opening and slamming of the door.

A small blur flashed through the kitchen, setting a plate of food on the kitchen counter and rushing up the stairs. Vash sat on his stool, a stunned and confused look on his face. He was still attempting to figure out who had ran through the kitchen when a noise came from the basement. Standing, the gunman strolled to the closed door and opened the portal, proceeding to cautiously walk down the stairs.

"Vash, what the hell were you thinking!" Wolfwood yelled at the blond entering the basement. Reaching the bottom of the stares, Vash walked to the cell and stood at the bars. He wore a strained frown, the corners of his mouth twitching in humor. The priest angrily stood in the middle of his cell, only a pillow covering his otherwise naked body.

"I'm sorry" Vash said, trying to hide the laughter in his voice. He could only imagine how embarrassed both Meryl and Wolfwood had been when she found him in such a state.

"You idiot!" the naked priest yelled accusingly. "What were you thinking allowing Meryl to bring me my food!"

"Hey, I said I was sorry" Vash answered, a pout covering his face. "I overslept this morning. You know, it's not easy watching you all night and feeding you during the day."

Wolfwood continued to glare at the blond as he watched him walk back up the stairs to retrieve the food tray. Returning, he was released by his friend and given the food, after clothing himself in an outfit kept on the single chair in the room. Grudgingly nodding a thank you for the articles and nourishment, he quickly ate and exited the basement.

Millie now sat at the kitchen table, a smile on her face and eating a bowl of fruit. She said a muffled good morning to the two males, her eyes resting for a moment longer on the priest before turning back to her eating.

"Good morning" Wolfwood said, seating himself down opposite her. Seeing Vash look to the stairs leading to the bedrooms with a thoughtful expression on his face, he knew the gunman was wondering how Meryl was. "Why don't you go see her?" the priest said, sighing at his friend's reluctance.

A goofy grin appeared on Vash's face, but he took Wolfwood's advice and climbed the stairs. Standing before the door to her bedroom, he took a deep breath and tentatively knocked on the door. Hearing no sounds from inside the room, he slowly turned the knob and cautiously opened the door. Boldly pushing his face into the room, he gaped at the sight before him.

Meryl stood rooted in the middle of the room, standing before her bed with a shirt in her hands. She was dressed only in her underclothes, revealing most of her body to the very eager eyes of the gunman. A blush crept across Vash's face as he gazed at the rich, smooth skin before him, never a thought to turning away.

Meryl suddenly found her movement, and her voice, quickly covering her nearly nude body with the small shirt in her hands.

"Vash, what the hell do you think you're doing!" she screamed, scowling at the peeping gunman.

The blond grinned mischievously and entered the room, slowly closing the door behind him. He began to circle her angered form, stepping toward her right to avoid the glare of sunlight behind the closed curtains of the windows.

Meryl inwardly sighed, wondering at the gunman before her as his eyes heated with lust. Vash could outgun even the fastest outlaws, have a best friend who had serious issues with a full moon, and face insanely dangerous situations without a bother; yet his male instincts still controlled his thoughts.

"What do you think I was doing?" Vash asked, his grin widening as Meryl blushed at his insinuating words. "Were you giving me a peep show for a reason?" He stopped at her side, within arm's reach of her figure but not moving to touch her.

Meryl did wonder at his self-control, but the way red was beginning to seep into his eyes she knew he would not last long. Taking a deep breath and consciously telling herself not to make any sudden movements, the young woman slowly turned her body toward his gaze. Dropping her hand holding the shirt, her body heated as a low, possessive growl escaped his throat.

"Vash" Meryl warned playfully, the instinct to run screaming through her mind. "Easy, boy" she soothed, going against her mind and stiffly strolling toward him. A small squeak escaped her lips as Vash swooped in, surrounding her body with his arms and bringing her against his chest.

Vash sighed and nuzzled her hair, the unique scent of the small girl filling his senses. He found himself relaxing into her curving body, a purr rumbling through his chest as he tried to sooth her stiff muscles.

"Vash, we can't" Meryl murmured into his shirt, leaning subjectively into him.

Vash pulled her away, his eyes locking with hers as they stood at arm length. The next moment he found himself the shocked owner of a red hand mark imprinted upon his face, his gaze falling upon the turned back of the small girl who had caught his attention.

"I have to get ready for work now" Meryl mumbled, fumbling the shirt over her head. She had managed to hide her own heated eyes by turning from the delicious blond, but doubted she could keep the charade much longer if he stayed.

Vash smiled knowingly behind her, having caught the smell of Meryl's heated scent, and left her to her preparations. He would have to take the courtship slow, or his body would give out from her repeated abuse. Besides, he loved having the normally controlled woman flustered with his advances.

Outside on the porch, Millie and Wolfwood looked on the scene before them. The townspeople were beginning to emerge from their homes, going about their daily lives with a sense of contentment. They had decided to exit the building after hearing Meryl's screaming accusation, wishing to give the two some space to themselves.

"Will those two ever get together?" Wolfwood mused under his breath, searching for a match in his pants pockets.

"Of course" Millie answered brightly, turning to face him with a big grin.

"Oh?" he questioned, lighting a cigarette in his mouth. "And why is that?"

"Like my big big sister always said, love conquers all."

Wolfwood stared at her for a moment, a small smile showing on his own face. Turning to gaze at the peaceful lives around them, he quietly sighed.

"I sure hope so, big girl, I sure hope so."

Night came all too quickly for the occupants of the house. Wolfwood sighed as he retired to his temporary bedroom, feeling the coming of sundown fast approaching. After locking himself within the cell, he waited for the moon to rise in the sky. He was grateful Vash chose to stay away during the sunrise and sunset hours, feeling slightly uncomfortable with an audience. As he felt the changing coming on, he only hoped the night would not bring any unexpected surprises.

Unfortunately, his wish did not come true as a mist slowly seeped into the basement through the cracks in the mortar. A figure appeared within the shadows of the room, watching as the beast emerged in the priest. The single light from the ceiling illuminated the tall man, showing a young face framed by a hood while one golden eye was covered with the soft hair. When a fully formed werewolf was now pacing the cell, the person smoothly strode over to the monster.

"The Master has a command for you."

In the upper portions of the house, a strange unease lay in the air. Vash and Meryl managed to avoid each other for most of the day, their jobs giving them the perfect reason to have time to cool down. Finally dinner arrived and three of the house's inmates assembled at the kitchen table. Small talk ensued while the gunman waited for his usual hour to visit his imprisoned friend in the basement.

Suddenly Vash sensed something wrong within the house, a feeling which didn't belong and he definitely didn't want. A sudden crashing sound erupted from below, causing their heads to turn toward the closed door. Vash shot out of his seat as a pounding erupted on the other side of the entrance, dents appearing on the thick metal.

"Get outside!" he ordered as the door finally gave from the onslaught.

Wolfwood, fully transformed into the beast, burst from the basement, stopping atop the wounded metal now collapsed on the floor. He snarled at the three faces gazing at him, saliva dripping from his snout as his claws fleshed across the door. The screeching of nails against metal ripped through the silence of the room, making Meryl shiver from the unpleasant noise. Unfortunately, the beast noticed her movement and sprang toward the small woman.

"Meryl!" Vash yelled, grabbing her and sliding over the counter separating the kitchen and living room. He crashed to the floor with a loud thud, the small insurance girl collapsing atop him as his best friend sailed over their bodies.

Wolfwood ran into the door, slamming his head against the wood. The hinges collapsed under the strain and the barrier fell out onto the porch as the beast cleared the boards and landed on the sand, causing dust to rise around his form. With one last snarl toward the house, he sprinted off down the street, a low howl echoing in the night.

Vash quickly stood, also raising Meryl to her feet, and walked over to the broken entranceway. A grim line was set on his mouth as he watched the beast's form disappear into the distance, his hand slowing drifting to the gun within its holster. Turning to the two women standing behind him, he looked to each for a moment, hesitating on the smaller girl's face, and sighed. Staring ahead of himself, he stepped out the door and began walking off the porch.

Suddenly a hand grabbed the back of his red duster, causing him to turn with little surprise. Meryl stood on the steps of the porch, the moon glistening off the metal of her derringers hidden under her cape.

"You're not going alone" she stated firmly, releasing her grip and boldly walking past him. "Millie, you stay her-."

"No!"

Both turned at the raised voice, the tone firm and resolute. Millie stood in the doorway, her stungun held in her hand and her mouth set in a firm line.

"I'm coming with you" she said, her voice showing no other option would be taken. She calmly strode down the stairs and past her gaping friends, following the beast into the night.


	10. Bonding Together

A/N: Back from break and a new chapter to post. Thanks everyone!

Bonding Together

Vash and Meryl said nothing, merely catching up to Millie as the chase began. They traveled down the many streets and alleyways, following the deep, heavy prints made in the sand. Their search led them to the outskirts of the town, the road opening to the vast desert and stretching beyond sight. Stopping at the end, the group looked at the sight before their eyes.

Wolfwood sat in the middle of the street, his huge figure still and waiting. The form was hunched over, his head staring forward and saliva dripping from his mouth. He appeared to not notice the group, his focus on the street laid out before him. Meryl stepped forward to move closer to their prey when a long arm blocked her path.

"Don't" Vash said, his eyes narrowed as he watched the beast. "He knows we're here."

Millie stepped forward, out of arm reach of the blond gunman, and began to approach the beast.

"Millie!" Meryl screamed, attempting to rush to aid her friend. Suddenly she found herself surrounded by Vash's arms and held to the spot. Turning her angered eyes toward the gunman's face, she was shocked to see a smile on his lips. "We have to help her!" she pleaded, struggling against his grip.

"I think if anyone can help him, it'll be her" he answered, turning his face toward Meryl's. He hugged the small woman closer, softly petting her hair and calming her confusion. He returned his gaze to the big girl, who now had crossed half the distance to Wolfwood. "She'll find him."

The two watched as Millie approached the beast,

"Mr. Priest!" The only response was a low growl and the gnashing of teeth. "Nicholas!"

At the sound of his name coming from her mouth, the rage in his eyes cleared and his ears pricked up. He turned toward the sound, his head perking up and his tongue hanging out. The werewolf warily watched as the tall female shortened the distance between them, her feet cautious but confident. Her scent confused him, showing his senses neither nervousness nor fear.

"Nick" Millie continued, closing her reach at seeing she had his attention. "I know you don't want to do this."

At her final word the beast suddenly lunged toward her, knocking her to the ground with his weight and pinning her down with his arms. He lowered his nose against hers, his breath blowing over her face and saliva pooling at her sides.

"Millie!" Meryl yelled in Vash's arms as she watched her friend drop to the ground.

"I'm all right, Meryl" Millie managed to call back, her air having been pushed from her lungs at the impact. Turning her full attention back to the beast holding her down, a sad smile crossed her face. "Please, remember everything you told me." Tears streamed down her face, confusing the beast atop her large form.

The werewolf struggled to understand why she was crying, and why he didn't want her to cry. He gave a low growl, ignored by the female and only increasing the nagging voice growing in his instinct filled mind. Sinking his claws deeper into the woman's shoulders only brought more of the salty substance and a small cry of pain, the inner voice now screaming within his skull.

Millie managed to keep her eyes open, facing the beast's own as he ruthlessly buried his sharpened nails into her skin. She could feel blood sliding down her arms and her muscles scream in pain, her body telling her to fight the beast holding her. But looking into the werewolf's eyes, she saw the color swirl, changing between the monster's golden color to Wolfwood's brown. A struggle was occurring in the depths of this beast's mind, each side, human and wolf, battling for control of the body. The priest she knew, the man she...loved, was battling to save her.

Narrowing her brows in determination and pressing her lips together, Millie stopped her tears and stared into the mix of colors in the beast's eyes. The werewolf mimicked her action, stilling at her sudden change in scent and curiously watching her expression.

"Remember what we talked about on the porch" she whispered watching the mix beginning to swirl at the start of her words. The feel of his grip tightening caused her to wince but she kept talking, knowing well her words were reaching him. "

A low growl echoed in the monster's throat as even the female's voice stirred these troublesome demands to protect her. Part of its mind was yelling for the beast to stop hurting her, get off her and listen. No! It would not listen to the rambling words of this prey nor the voice screaming in its head. It would solve both problems with this female's death!

Millie suddenly felt herself lifted from the ground as a firm grip settled around her throat. The monster was holding her above the sand by her neck, its grip tightening with each passing moment. The big girl struggled for breath, her hands instinctually scratching at the arms holding her and her thoughts trying to gather enough air to make one last sentence.

"I love you."

The werewolf's eyes shot wide open as he dropped her to the ground and stepped back, clutching his head in pain. He threw his head back and howled to the clear sky as the voice inside clawed at the mind to gain control, his own nails clawing at his head to make the words stop. Millie stood up and slowly approached the beast that was Wolfwood, reaching her hand out.

The monster snarled at her limb but could do nothing to stop her, the war within its conscious tearing at the fabric of its control. But the moment her hand touched his face, the voice stilled and a calming sensation drifting through his body. The werewolf suddenly found himself settling down to her height and allowing her a better reach, his eyes half shut as his tongue happily lolled out.

"Wolfwood?" the female asked cautiously.

The beast shifted through the thoughts of the other, finding the name to belong to him. He slowly nodded his head, leaning into the soothing touch. A few stray tears down her cheeks upset the other inside him and he gladly leaned down and licked them away, causing a small smile to appear on her face.

"I think it's time to go home" Millie spoke to the werewolf, watching as the color in its eyes permanently shifted to a golden circle ringed by a deep brown. She carefully grabbed a paw, mindful of the large nails, and gently pulled him in the direction of the house. He followed obediently, never taking his eyes off the big girl.

Vash and Meryl watched the current exchange silently, each breathing a sigh of relief at the outcome.

"She sure is wonderful" the small girl sighed watching Millie and Wolfwood, turning to follow the two back.

"Wonderful" Vash murmured, though his eyes never left the petite form of the dark haired insurance girl as she strolled away.

An hour later found Vash sitting on the couch in the living room, his coat hung at the front door and his arms draped about the back of the furniture. His eyes were staring at the ceiling and his brows were turned down in concentration. His mind was wandering back to before Wolfwood burst through the door, his memory focused on the entity he had felt. A frown creased his lips as he thought of those whom would gain the most from the beast's escape and rampage of the town, coming to only one logical conclusion.

The person had been Legato, sent by Knives to release the werewolf and trick the insurance girls into getting themselves killed in an attempt to capture their priest friend. A small smile graced his lips as he recalled the confrontation and subsequent happy ending. Knives had not taken into account the determination of a certain big girl and the love of the priest trapped within the wolf's body, human qualitites his brother refused to acknowledge in the race.

Standing and stretching his arms above his head, Vash suddenly noticed the small girl at the base of the stairs. Meryl was dressed only in a short night shirt, showing her long shapely legs and toned thighs. A pillow was in her hand and she had a worried frown on her face. She slowly walked toward the tall gunman and seated herself next to his standing form, patting the area he had only just vacated. Following her silent request, he nervously joined her on the couch.

"Why the pillow?" he asked curiously, pointing toward the stuffed cloth clutched in her hands.

"I thought Millie and...Wolfwood, would like some time together" she answered quickly. She settled the pillow beside her along the arm of the couch, pulling a thin blanket from the case and shaking out the wide cloth.

A grin crept on Vash's face as he watched Meryl settle herself in for the night. He observed their positions and the objects beside her, his eyebrows coming together in thought.

"You know, the nights can get pretty cold in the desert" he said slowly, carefully watching her reaction to his words.

Meryl turned her head and gave him a confused look, nodding in agreement to his statement. Returning her attention back to the task at hand, she didn't notice as Vash slid behind her until his arms wrapped around her waist. Her hands immediately went to the bottom of her shirt, keeping the cloth from rising further and giving the gunman an interesting show.

"Vash, what are you doing?" she scolded, trying to wriggle free from his grip. A small 'eep' escaped her lips as she found herself pulled into the gunman's lap, her back pressed against his well-muscled chest.

"Come on, Meryl" she heard him whisper, his breath tickling her ear. "I'm just trying to keep you warm. You don't doubt my intentions, do you?" Vash asked, pressing his sinfully soft lips against the back of her neck.

Meryl _highly_ doubted his intentions, showing her answer by renewing her struggles in his lap. Unfortunately her actions only worsened the problem she now found herself in, a distinct bulge now rubbing against the outside of her thigh. She stilled immediately, a slow rumbling echoing in the chest her back was pressed into. She shut her eyes to calm her beating heart and racing pulse, trying to remain the stable person in an unstable situation.

"Trust me" Vash whispered, slowly laying his back down on the cushions. With his arms still wrapped around Meryl's waist, she unwillingly followed his descent and found herself laying atop the blond gunman. "Turn around" he growled softly, removing his hands.

Meryl grudgingly complied, slowly turning to face the spiky haired man below her. A small gulp escaped her throat as she noticed the color swirling in his eyes, a green-blue battling with a dark red. She turned her face away and cautiously laid her head on his chest, flinching as his hands once more encircled her waist.

"Relax" he whispered, his voice more throaty than usual. He nuzzled his face into her hair, sliding his hands along her back but careful not to shift the shirt higher.

Meryl nodded, mindful not to move as she felt the blanket slide over their bodies. So here she was, Meryl Stryfe, atop a dangerous half-vampire with a blanket over them and his hands gently gripping her waist. After a long while of tense silence on her part, she was about to speak when she suddenly noticed Vash's breathing. By the steady rise and fall of his chest, she realized the gunman was unconscious. Giving a sigh of relief at the anticlimactic ending, she settled herself in and joined him in sleep.

Meanwhile, upstairs the girls' room was now occupied by one very nervous werewolf seated on the floor and one very preoccupied tall insurance girl on the large bed. They had been silent since she led him into the house and into the room, the beast not knowing how to act and the big girl deep in thought. Now they were facing off, waiting to see which would break the uncomfortable stillness of the room.

"Wolfwood, I want you to change me" Millie suddenly spoke, looking him firmly in the eye.

At first the beast merely stared at her, thinking he had heard wrong. Then, after many seconds of silence and the processing what she'd said, he fervently shook his head 'no.' He obviously refused to assist in turning the woman before him into a bloodthirsty monster as he. But Millie would not take his answer, standing and resting her hands on her hips.

"Nicholas D. Wolfwood, I do know what I'm asking" she said, a frown on her lips. "I can't watch you all the time unless I'm as fast as you." Then a sad smile crossed her face. "Who's going to keep care of you when I...die" she slowly whispered, looking away from him.

Wolfwood's eyes grew downcast as he saw the truth in her words, realizing how slowly he aged compared to humans. She would be dead long before he would have his first gray hair...or fur. In any case, she would leave him and nothing would be able to stop the beast from killing people, his conscience no longer a factor. Even Vash would slip one day if he gave the monster a chance, and selfishly he didn't want to lose her...ever.

"Please" a small whisper echoed in the room, finally resolving his decision.

Wolfwood slowly moved toward the big girl as she sat down on the bed, her head in her hands and a few loose tears falling to the floor. Then she was suddenly shoved down onto the bed, the werewolf standing nimbly on the bed's foot board, his soft padded hands stroking her arms. He looked into her eyes, his own still filled with some doubt. Millie smiled at him innocently as she nodded her head at his hesitation, reassuring him of her wish. He growled softly and leaned down, nuzzling her neck and making her shudder; but not from fear. He shifted his head to her shoulder slowly, moving his long tongue over her smooth skin. Taking her long sleeve in his teeth, he ripped away the material. Millie gasped but didn't flinch as his hand moved to hold her wrist, effectively trapping her on the bed.

Wolfwood suddenly dragged a single fang over her flesh, tearing open a thin wound on her arm. Millie clenched her teeth but refused to close her eyes, wanting to watch, needing to watch. Wolfwood drew his tongue back up her arm, lapping up the blood pouring from the wound, cleaning and closing the cut.

After finishing with the wound, Wolfwood stepped back off the bed, his eyes looking toward Millie's in fear of what he'd done. However, the insurance girl sat up quickly, a smile on her face and no regret in her dancing eyes. On the contrary, Millie shifted to the side of the bed closest to the ashamed beast and reached out her hand. She began stroking the side of his face softly, giggling when he started to make a low guttural purr, nuzzling her soft skin. She moved back on the bed, leaning against the headboard. Patting the covers next to her, she watched as Wolfwood eagerly moved to the other side of the bed. Carefully climbing on next to her, he rested his head on her lap and closed his eyes. Both fell asleep soon after.

Outside, a lone figure observed the quiet house carefully.

"The Master will not be pleased."


	11. Surprises Abound

A/N: A chapter up after only a week! Thanks Aine for your recommendation, I appreciate the gesture. Also, I'm changing the genre to suspense rather than horror; just fits better with the story.

Surprises Abound

"You did what!" a voice suddenly screamed, waking Vash from his slumber and causing him to roll of the couch. The blond looked quickly above the couch, frantically trying to disentangle himself from the blanket wrapped around him and prepare for danger. Suddenly he stopped his failing escape as he noticed his friends deep in conversation, apparently arguing over something important.

"Meryl, it's all right. Mr. Priest didn't hurt me...too much" a gentle voice responded.

"He hurt you!" Meryl yelled, casting a scathing glare in the priest's direction.

"Come on, Meryl" Wolfwood said calmly, lighting a cigarette. "It's not like she doesn't have time to prepare. Her changing moon won't be for another month."

Vash's eyes lighted up with understanding and a small smile appeared on his face, realizing what had taken place the night before. He stood with a goofy grin, catching the attention of the small group in the kitchen's entrance.

"Way to go Wolfwood!" he shouted, raising a hand above his head. The priest returned his expression, the cigarette in his mouth dangling in one corner as he gave a large smile.

"You stay out of this!" Meryl snarled at the gunman, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Yes ma'am" he squeaked, cowering back onto the couch.

Meryl turned her attention back to the priest, who had straightened his grin to a more serious expression, and warily eyed his face. She was searching for any signs of ill intentions, knowing well her friend's emotional state was now linked with the self-declared priest's actions. Inwardly breathing a sigh of relief at the lack of such emotions, realizing he only meant well for the big girl. Keeping her lips set in a thin line to stay with appearances, the small insurance girl turned her back and entered the kitchen to make breakfast.

A sudden knock on the door interrupted their breakfast, Meryl rising and walking to the front door. Opening the portal she was met with the sight of the local postal officer, a smile on his face. He tipped his hat and handed her an envelope, leaving as quickly as he had come. The small insurance girl looked curiously at the paper, quickly ripping open the package and removing a note from within. She read the contents carefully, recognizing the company logo printed upon one corner of the letter.

"We have a new assignment" she said, looking up from the telegram and into the surprised faces of her companions. "Millie and I have to travel to New Salem to investigate a missing employee."

Wolfwood and Vash stared at the two women for a moment before turning to each other, worried expressions on their faces. Then identical grins spread across their mouths and they nodded their heads in unison, the blond gunman the first one to speak for both boys.

"This will be pretty dangerous, won't it?" Vash asked, walking up to Meryl and gently taking the letter. He read the contents himself, placing a stern expression on his face and nodding his head in decision.

"Yes" Meryl replied, trying to snatch the paper back without success. "But what has that got to do with you?" she questioned, a suspicious glint in her eyes.

For a moment Vash didn't move, merely glancing at the contents one last time. Then he silently handed the note back to Meryl, turning his serious emotion into her own perplexed one. For a moment she though she saw a flicker of some concern, maybe even a sign of intelligence...

Only to have him ruin the moment.

"We'll be your own personal bodyguards" the blond said, flashing a large grin.

Meryl's mouth twitched as she turned away from the broken tension, walking up the stairs while muttering something about a broom-headed idiot and his lycanthrope friend. Vash followed curiously, intent on receiving a positive answer to his roundabout question. He watched from the girl's room doorway as the small insurance girl started gathering a few items and throwing them on the bed, making a neat pile to pack.

"Are you sure we can trust Wolfwood?" Meryl asked to the blond she knew was standing behind her, dragging her suitcase from under the bed. "He still has one more night of full moon and we won't have that cell to keep him in."

"Of course I trust him" Vash replied, watching as she went to the dress and began pulling her clothes out of the drawers. Eying the articles closely, his eyes widened as he noticed the silk panties with matching bras in her hands. Looking over the petite form he imagined her wearing those garments...and nothing else. His blood heated at the image and he felt his length stiffen, dark crimson pooling into his eyes. A feral grin appeared on his face as he silently stalked over to her form, careful to stay behind her as the petite woman remained unaware of his change.

"I guess we don't have any other choice" Meryl continued, too preoccupied with her packing to notice the figure standing behind her. "But can I trust you...ah!" she exclaimed as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her sides. She struggled in his hold for a moment before stiffening, a gasp escaping her lips as she felt a hand slide under her short shirt.

"Are you wearing those now?" he growled out, his mouth pressing against her neck. He slid his tongue along her smooth skin, placing open-mouthed kisses along her throat as his hand began creeping higher along her stomach.

Meryl immediately realized what he was speaking of, the clothes strewn out before her an obvious hint. She panted as his wandering hand traced the outline of her thin, lacy bra, a shaky moan escaping her parted lips.

"Maybe" Meryl teased, her reasonable mind telling her to shut up and run. She ignored the voice, concentrating on the warmth spreading through her body as her breathing quickened. She gave a small cry when he reached her, arching into his touch as her head rested against her shoulder.

A sharp gasp of surprise escaped her lips as Meryl looked into his face, quickly noticing the red tinge in his dark orbs. The color in his eyes shoved her back to reality, a slight tremor of fear racing through her body as she realized he had once more lost control. She squirmed in his hold for a moment before brushing against his obvious arousal, a need arising in her own body for his pleasure.

Vash sensed her fear rising, a part of him struggling to step away while the more primal side wished to comfort her. His body began to shake with the internal battle, his head pulling from the nape of her neck even as he heard a groan of protest from the raven-haired temptress. He gritted his teeth together as he felt her turn in his loosening arms, desperately trying to keep from forcing her still. However, the slightest tinge of fear in her eyes, mixed with the worry in the lines of her mouth, finally pushed the beast back in its place.

Vash slowly collapsed against Meryl as she took his weight, his breathing erratic as she settled him on the bed. She passed a worried hand over his brow, his eyes closed as he slowly drifted to sleep. _The sun must be hard on him _she thought with some concern, standing and closing the heavy curtains in the room. After telling the couple downstairs of Vash's unconscious state she managed to finish Millie and her packing with the blond gunman still lying atop their bed, his soft snores causing a small smile to light her face.

Unfortunately, before the noon hour Meryl was forced to awake the sleeping half-vampire, their journey having to be finished before the setting sun. The foursome all piled into the truck a short while later, having packed and informed the renter of their departure. After making a quick stop at the bakery for Vash to supply himself with his source of energy, the group set out on the road. Meryl had grudgingly allowed Wolfwood to have control of the wheel, threatening him with physical harm if he decided to defy the laws of gravity with the vehicle again.

The time passed quickly for the travelers, their destination but a half day's drive from their last place of residence. However, an uncomfortable stillness permeated the small cab of the old truck, Millie sat uneasily between Vash and Meryl, the blond gunman insisting on having the window seat while the short girl wished to keep an eye on the driver. The big girl knew something was wrong with the two of them and surmised they'd had an 'argument' upstairs, though exactly what had happened was now not the problem. At the moment she needed to figure out how to stop the nervous friction between the obviously attracted couple, and a perfect idea came to mind...

Arriving at the town a few hours later, the four happily piled out of the cramped cab, stretching their aching limbs and looking curiously around. This town was much larger than the one they had previously occupied, a bustling business district stretched before them for miles and an uncountable number of houses lining the main street.

Finding the Bernardelli office with some trouble, the insurance girls found only an empty building with overdue claims piled high on the desk and in a heap before the mail drop box. Asking the local business owners around the structure proved to be fruitless, no one having seen the employee for the last week. They next called at the place of residence, finding the address amongst the pile of papers, and found the structure as desolate as the workplace.

The insurance girls decided to employ the use of the missing agent's house, having no qualms about doing so with the building being owned and paid for by the company. If the missing employee returned, their most likely place of meeting them would be at their place of residence. Besides, the sun was beginning to set and one of their two 'bodyguards' would soon need the privacy.

However, before Meryl was able to settle her scarce belongings into one of the two bedrooms, Millie and Wolfwood hastily took one as their own. With the sudden emergence of their new relationship, the blond gunman was left to fend for himself on the living room couch while the small insurance girl had her own room. Then the two went one step further with their possessive nature...

Vash watched in disbelief as the two carried the sofa into the room, leaving nothing for him to lay on except the floor as they made the excuse of a bed for the transformed Wolfwood. Meryl, on the other hand, stared at the actions of her 'friends' in suspicion, though could do little objecting with the oncoming night fast approaching. Hearing the door to their room slam shut with a finality which confirmed their eagerness to leave her and Vash alone, a tentative hand reaching up to message a sudden headache. Sighing to herself at her forced predicament, she turned to the whimpering gunman with some pity.

"If you want, Vash, you can sleep in my room" she offered, almost immediately regretting her decision.

Vash's eyes lit up at her words, nodding his head in the affirmative and picking up his pillow and blanket. He grinned widely behind the small insurance girl's back as he followed her to the room, hiding his eagerness with more control than he knew he had. Unfortunately, his fun was quickly cut short. After entering the small bedroom Meryl abruptly turned around to face him, her eyes narrowed and her mouth set in a firm line.

"I will let you sleep in the bed only if you promise to stay on your own side" she stated, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you so much as breath on my side I will throw you out on the cold, hard floor. Understood?"

"Completely" Vash said, grinning nervously. His eagerness had completely vanished and he was now mentally cursing the priest and his accomplice for their evil trick. Maybe with the wolf boy so completely docile, he could humiliate him into playing fetch...

In a shadowed room a lone figure reclined in a chair, his eyes closed as silence reigned around his person. The darkness seemed tuned to his being, shifting as his eyelids fluttered in thought. Suddenly a presence intruded upon the still sanctity, approaching the relaxed form.

"They have arrived, my master" the standing figure informed, bowing respectively to the other.

For a moment the oppressing silence neither lifted nor stirred, though the new arrival seemed not to care about the lack of response. Then lids slowly opened to reveal softly glowing orbs, the bright red shining in the shadows.

"Dear little brother, are you finally ready?"


	12. Pleasant Developments

A/N: Relationships develop and the plot thins to the level of condensed soup. This chapter has been edited for content and the cut portions can be found at my website. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience but Fanfiction doesn't like these (cough) descriptive scenes.

Pleasant Developments

Vash watched curiously as Meryl settled her belongings into the dresser against one wall, holding his blanket and pillow and trying to comprehend how he was going to be able to sleep next to the vixen unknowingly swaying her hips as she walked. He gulped as he felt more than one rise in his body, settling down on the bed and trying to avoid looking at the small, enticing insurance girl.

"I think I'll take a shower" Meryl suddenly spoke, breaking the comfortable silence surrounding them. When Vash didn't acknowledge her words, his head still turned away from her and his body slightly stiff, she walked over to him and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Did you hear me?" she asked, a slight hint of annoyance in her voice. _Is he intentionally ignoring me? _she thought angrily.

Vash turned at the abrupt contact, having not noticed anything as he had tried to concentrate on the wall to his side. A blush crept upon his face when he realized his torturous roommate was standing close to him, very close, and her chest was nearly eye level with his body. He gave her a shaky grin, having no idea what she wanted but not being able to take his eyes away from her breasts. He was almost mesmerized when she began talking, the soft orbs slightly bouncing with each word she spoke.

"Did you hear a word I said?' she asked icily, glaring at the blond. Then did she notice where his gaze was riveted and a blush tinged her cheeks, her words now coming out in stutters. "W-well, I-I better g-go t-take that shower" Meryl said, her last few words a blurring mix as she quickly moved away and grabbed her towel and clothes from the neat pile on the bed. Without a look back she sprinted into the adjoining bathroom and closed the door behind her person, leaving one very stunned gunman in her wake.

"Are you sure what we did was right?" Millie asked in the next room, the wolf comfortably laying in her lap. Her answer was a low growl, almost sounding like a comforting purr, followed by the beast cuddling closer to her. "I guess" she replied to his unspoken answer, starting to stroke the soft fur behind his ears. "But Meryl won't like what we've done" the big girl commented, moving her hand away and leaning back against the headboard of the bed.

Her neglect of his person with her sudden worry caused the fully transformed Wolfwood to shift his weight to his arms, lifting the night shirt she wore with his muzzle. He leaned his nose into her soft skin, finding the right spot and beginning to tickle her unmercifully. A squeal broke from Millie's lips at his ministrations, thrashing against him as he pinned her to the bed with the rest of his body. After she was thoroughly exhausted and more than pleased, he stopped his torture and once more snuggled into her lap.

"Thank you" Millie murmured, petting his hair as she closed her eyes contentedly.

Meanwhile, Vash sat on the bed with his eyes still trying to comprehend the empty spot where his Meryl had been standing. He groaned and fell back onto the bed, knowing he had once more scared her off when he should be taking things slow. Well, his reaction to her wasn't exactly his fault, the woman was teasing him with her feminine charms and heavenly scent. Could he help his body's need if she kept standing so close to him? He suddenly slapped himself on the forehead for the last thought, the reasoning sounding lame even in his own head.

Then Vash heard the sound of running water coming from behind the closed door and his attention was riveted back to his insurance girl, images flashing through his mind. A long reel of possibilities crept into his increasingly disturbing thoughts, a lengthening run of erotic pictures involving himself and a writhing Meryl flashed across his mind. A moan escaped his lips as he cursed his traitorous mind, feeling his manhood stiffen to an uncomfortable level. He looked down at himself and groaned quietly; how was he going to hide_ that_ from the aware insurance girl? His eyes flew to the door again as the sound was abruptly followed by a soft sigh, gritting his teeth as he imagined her slowly stripping her clothing off herself and slipping into the falling water. He could see her running a cloth over her smooth skin, paying special attention to her breasts as she lifted her head to let the water slide down the column of her tasty neck.

_How can she do this to me?_ he thought through a stifled groan. Reaching down he gripped the now prominent bulge between his legs, Vash shot up from the bed, sweat covering his body and his breathing coming out in shallow pants. With a shaky gasp he realized he had nearly let the monster win, the erotic images coming from his dark half and he willing feeding off them.

With his last shred of decency Vash decided he wouldn't stop the feelings rising in him, he would merely try another approach toward his insurance girl. The noticeably stretched pants would be more difficult to deal with but he would have to manage, especially if he wanted Meryl to play along with his little 'game'. His decision was firm as an idea came to his mind, looking to the clothes he wore with an evil grin and impatiently waiting for his insurance girl to make her appearance.

Meryl stepped out of the bathroom a short time later and for one blessed minute Vash thought he saw the edge of a towel wrapped around her body. Unfortunately, he was bound for disappointment as she came into view wearing a short wooly nightshirt which reached to her knees. He turned his head away from the sight and pouted slightly, irritated at her obvious lack of trust by wearing the heavy and covering clothing...not that he'd tried anything before.

"All yours" she said, not noticing his behavior while she began turning down the covers.

Meryl jumped when she heard the door to the bathroom slam shut, swinging around to find Vash missing and the portal closed. Shrugging her shoulders she returned to her task, arranging the pillows so they would each have two and thus avoiding a confrontation with the childish gunman. By the time she had finished typing out her report for the evening and had prepared cloths for the following day she finally heard the click of the latch, warning of the bathroom door opening.

Turning with slight curiosity Meryl stiffened, simply staring as she tried to understand what she was looking at. The dripping form of Vash stood in the bathroom doorway, one arm leaning against the frame and giving her a very good view of everything he had to offer. Water cascaded down his bare chest, sliding over the rippling muscles and catching around his nipples stiffened with the cool air of the room. His arms flexed as he moved away from the door, the toned skin glowing in the soft moon light as his abs glistened with the light sheen of moisture. Soft hair drifted along his lower abdomen, cradled in the tight muscles on either side and dipping below the waistline.

_Well, almost everything _Meryl thought with a smirk as her eyes stopped at the towel wrapped around his waist, then mentally slapped herself. _He must be rubbing off on me _she thought with some apprehension, realizing the night was going to be very long. She shook herself and stared at him with some confusion.

"Well, aren't you going to get dressed for bed?" Meryl asked, wondering how long he was going to stand there watering the carpet and her mouth.

"Actually, all my clothes are in the other room..." Vash spoke, scratching the back of his head with one hand while the other held the towel. He grinned goofily, effectively breaking the small insurance girl's staring and creating a tense atmosphere in the cramped room.

"Where are your other clothes? The ones you were wearing!" she asked frantically, the horny teenager inside her screaming ecstatically at the turn of events.

"I, uh, kinda washed them?" he squeaked, reaching behind himself and pulling out a wet sock.

Meryl swore her teenage self just collapsed in ecstacy.

"Then what are we going to do now?" she questioned through clenched teeth, her eyes shut tight in irritation. She had to think of some way to avoid a bad situation elevating to a very enjoyable...

"Ahh!" she yelled in frustration, her nostrils flaring as she looked to the source of her hormonal problem. "If I see one slip of that towel off your body I will personally throw you out the door!" she exclaimed, punctuating her words with a low growl.

Vash held up his hands in surrender and firmly gripped the cloth around his midriff, cautiously walking over to the bed and slipping beneath the covers. Meryl lay beside him, as far away from his body as possible without falling off the side, and suspiciously stiffened with every shift of his form. He mentally sighed, knowing he would have to use every trick he had ever learned to succeed in his plans and control the beast already raging inside him. His inner demon wanted very much to couple with the enticing female mere inches from his body, but the blond gunman managed to curb the feelings rising in his body. One reaction, however, he could not stem as he felt his erection harden with the promise of the soft body lying so close. He stifled a groan as he buried his head into a pillow, attempting to muffle the sound with little success.

Meryl heard the sound and turned over to see if he was all right, seeing his face smothered into the soft cloth. She reached over and was about to gently shake his shoulder when he suddenly turned to her, his eyes piercing into her own as heat suddenly flared in her body. She sighed with relief as she noted the softly glowing green eyes looking into her own, a hint of mischief within their depths but no lust. She smiled back at him but frowned when she felt something soft and heavy travel up her bare leg. Looking down her eyes widened as she watched Vash's hand slide slowly towards the hem of her nightshirt, a soft gasp ringing from her mouth as he tugged at the heavy cloth. A sudden revelation hit the small insurance girl as her head jerked up to look at him, a shiver of both excitement and fear shooting through her body.

He was hiding his lust to help her relax.

Meryl was touched by his willingness to comfort her, though the urge to shrink away from the now sexually driven man was strong in her mind. Then she felt a distinctly _unclothed_ hardness rub against her outer thigh, causing her to shoot straight up in the bed as she glared at the gunman. Then she saw the ghost of a white cloth on the floor beside the bed, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"What did I tell you?" she snarled, her angered mood slightly thrown off when he gave an innocent chuckle.

"Oh, but you said if you saw me remove the towel" Vash noted, slowly inching toward her and allowing the blankets to slide further down his body. Their faces were nearly level when his eyes slowly slid to look at her pouting lips, his tongue slipping out to wet his own. "And you didn't" he breathed as their lips barely touched.

Suddenly Meryl found herself locked in a passionate kiss, their lips dueling together as Vash wrapped his arms around her small body. He slanted her lips, his tongue sliding across her mouth with insistence until she opened herself to him. _Well, two can play at this game _she thought with a smirk, sliding her hands down his naked chest in slow circles and pinching the sensitive male nipples.

"Meryl" he groaned into the kiss as her smooth hands glided closer to the bulge beneath the sheets. Vash realized too late the game had been turned on him, his hips jerking forward when she brazenly brushed against his erection while a suppressed groan escaped his lips. "Meryl!" he gasped, wrenching his mouth away from hers to stare shocked into her face.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Vash managed to move off Meryl and drop beside her, still buried deep inside his insurance girl. He wrapped his arms arounder her small form and lifted her over his body, stretching her form onto his own. The two lay against each other for several minutes, both breathing heavily but content in the arms of one another. The silence was only broken by the soft sound of a chuckle from the smaller lover.

"You didn't really wash your clothes, did you?" Meryl asked, her voice muffled against his chest.

"No" Vash said, giving a nervous chuckle and hoping she wouldn't begin to scold him about his trickery. To his utter surprise she let out a contented laugh, snuggling closer and closing her eyes. He felt her breathing even as she slept, a contented grin on his face as he joined her.

A woman ran through the darkened streets, gasping as her tired lungs tried to find enough air while she continuously looked behind her in terror. Suddenly she was slammed to the ground with a firm jarring of her person, the scream in her mouth stifled as she felt teeth rip into the flesh of her neck. Her vision blurred as the figure atop her form pulled away and stared at her with amusement, the ice blue eyes watching as she slowly slipped into the eternal sleep...


	13. A Changing

A/N: Ah, a long chapter with many happenings. Hope everyone enjoys.

A Changing

Meryl slowly stirred from her comfortable slumber, nuzzling her head into the soft pillow as she tried to fight off the wave of wakefulness overcoming her. Finally succumbing to consciousness, she opened her eyes lazily and looked at the windows covered by the heavy curtains. Her brows furrowed down in confusion as she noticed a large lump beside her, a soft snoring sound emitting from beneath the blankets. Reaching out with a hand she cautiously pulled back the covers and gasped as blond hair was revealed, her eyes widening as she suddenly remembered everything.

Meryl's face lit up with embarrassment as she pulled her hand back, the blush creeping across her cheeks as she slowly inched away from the male body. Quickly she threw a blanket over her nude body, frantically searching the room for her clothes as she tried her best to stay covered by the bed sheets. She needed to get out of here fast, before reality really set in.

Unfortunately for Vash, the sheet Meryl decided to use had been the one keeping him from rolling off the bed. With his support now taken from him he fell with a hard thud to the floor, a very rude awakening for the gunman as he groaned softly into the floor.

Meryl turned her head toward the strange noise, and saw that Vash had disappeared. Slowly, however, a few strands of the gravity defying hair style emerged above the bed, followed by a pair of aqua eyes. Seeing her staring at him the orbs suddenly turned mischievous as he slowly disappeared from view again, leaving the insurance girl with an ominous feeling. Now with only the golden spikes remaining in view, they started to creep slowly down the bed, a strange imitation of a shark stalking his prey.

And the desired effect of fear would have plagued Meryl, had she not known the sea creature was actually a harmless idiot fish. Reaching the foot of the bed, the spikes suddenly dipped below her sight as a lump grew under the covers. Meryl attempted to move out of the hunter's reach but was too slow, being caught by the foot and dragged under. A mischievous voice flitted from underneath the blankets.

"Why are you wearing this?" a voice questioned, which was followed by a giggle and the blanket flying out from the covers.

Millie and Wolfwood were sitting at the kitchen table when the couple came down late in the afternoon, Meryl dressed for a late day of work while Vash made several gallant attempts to help her with her skirt. After shooing his hand away for the fifth time she finally smacked him upside the head and grabbed herself a bite to eat. The two insurance girls left soon afterward, the big girl having to do the shopping for the household, and leaving their male companions to tend to themselves.

"So" Wolfwood finally spoke, seeing the relaxed expression on his friend's face. "Did you two have a fun night together?" The goofy grin on the blond's face was enough answer for the priest, slapping him on the back with a laugh. "About time you two got to it. Millie was worried she was going to have to shove you both in the shower to get anything done."

"Hey" Vash whined, rubbing the bruise now forming on his back. "I was getting to it...sometime."

Wolfwood snorted his disbelief and idly wondered when the girls would return, seeing the sun starting its downward journey to the horizon. Thus the remainder of the day found the bored males lounging around the house, Vash laying down on the couch while the priest sat in the single chair. Neither knew what to do while waiting for their insurance girls, their minds mostly occupied with hopes of interesting evenings for the both of them. Finally, after a few hours of sitting and several mental reels of erotic scenes later, Wolfwood stood to his feet.

"I gotta get some air" he said, stretching his stiff limbs and walking to the back door. The view of the setting sun from the porch was the perfect, and would give him a good view of the street leading to the house. He would be able to see his insurance girl arrive home.

Vash had been lying on the couch after Wolfwood's interruption of his fantasies for only a few minutes when he was suddenly distracted by his name being called.

"Vash" Wolfwood called from outside, the tone of his voice catching the blond's attention immediately. "I think you need to see this."

Vash walked out the back door and noticed Wolfwood standing a few yarz from the house, his back turned from the gunman and his face staring toward the ground. The blond slowly walked over to his friend, his brows creased downward and his mouth set in a firm line. When he came within sight of what Wolfwood had been looking at he stopped with a jerk, his eyes widening as a sudden chill ran up his spine. The two were looking at a long plot of disturbed dirt with grim faces, the priest kicking the dust with the tip of his boot. The sudden shifting of the sand revealed tattered clothes and a hint of decomposing flesh.

"Vash, I think we just found the missing insurance guy" Wolfwood whispered, covering the remains once more.

"Mr. Vash! Nicholas!" a voice suddenly yelled, turning the males' attentions to a figure running down the road. Millie was sprinting toward them, waving in her hand what appeared to be a newspaper and a terrified look on her face.

She reached them within a few seconds, breathing heavily and handing the paper over to Wolfwood with a sense of urgency neither male liked. The priest quickly parsed over the front cover, the setting sun at his back casting enough light to see the headline. His eyes widened as his mouth drew into a thin line, looking to the blond with a tense expression.

"What? What is it!" Vash asked frantically, taking the paper himself and looking at the news which had made the front cover.

The gunman's heart nearly stopped as he read the discovery of a young woman in the early morning, her body drained of blood and two punctures wounds on her neck. The paper dropped from his quivering hands as a single name passed through his mind, reaching his lips with barely concealed horror.

"Meryl..."

Vash suddenly broke into a sprint, racing toward the insurance building without hearing the yells of his friends behind him. He shouldn't have let her go alone, he should have gone by his instincts and told her to stay home today. He couldn't remember her taking her derringers, she wouldn't be able to defend herself well without the small pistols.

The regretful thoughts were still running through his mind as Vash came within view of the insurance building. He dodged between the few people on the street, making his way up the short flight of steps and into the open doorway. Then did he stop in his tracks, his wide aqua eyes looking over the strewn papers and overturned desk and chair. A small dark stain in the center of the floor caught his attention, as did the familiar scent of Meryl's blood, and his eyes bled red as a cry of rage threatened to break from his mouth.

Vash withheld his cry as he collapsed to his knees with the sun sinking behind him, silent tears running down his face as he looked at the empty office.

Meryl slowly came to consciousness, her head throbbing and her mind fuzzy. She idly wondered when she had fallen asleep in her chair when a sudden restrictive feeling came over her. She opened her eyes in confusion and gasped at the sight around her. Her memories came flooding back as she stared at a man sitting upon a table close beside her, watching her silently with a feral grin on his face. The man before her had come into the office, innocently asking for a piece of property, waiting until she had turned to the files to attack her. She had struggled against him only to be cuffed upside the head, which she still felt the dried blood upon the wound, and could remember nothing else.

Then did Meryl notice in what sort of room they were in and her eyes widened in surprise. The enclosure was small, no more than a few yarz square by her reckoning. The walls were made of metal and there were few pieces of furniture, one being the table upon which her kidnapper sat and a chair directly before her. Another was the elegant chair she found herself in, ropes tied tightly around her body and holding her upright against the high back.

Suddenly a door to her left opened and Meryl looked toward the entering figure in shock, her eyes widening as the first hint of fear crept into her mind. The male was wearing an entirely black ensemble, a dark sleeveless shirt snug around his muscled torso while a pair of black jeans hugged his lean waist to his feet. His shoes, though they appeared to be normal boots, made no noise on the hard floor as he walked into the room with an intimidating air. But what had truly caught her attention was the similarity to Vash, though there were some noticeable differences. Instead of the golden blonde hair, his was almost white and was much shorter. The curves of his face were sharper than the gunman's while the lines of his mouth held a hint of cruelty. The man's eyes were a cold blue and the smirk on his face was filled with dark humor, as if he would laugh at her death.

Meryl shivered as they slowly turned toward her, unblinkingly watching her as he stopped within eels of her chair.

"Knives" she whispered, trying not to let her voice shake. His smirk grew wider as his eyes widened slightly, his face giving a look of twisted enjoyment at her realization of who he was. Here was the monster who had been plaguing Vash's life for many decades, killing others for survival and heeding little of morals by what she had grasped of the gunman's story. What his plans for her would be, she could only guess.

"Hey, when do I get payed?" the man before her suddenly asked, though his voice was hesitant. He was obviously terrified of the blond's presence but greed made him unwilling to leave without his money. Meryl almost sighed in relief as the blond turned his attention to her kidnapper.

"Ah, yes" Knives spoke, his voice eerily calm as he looked the man over. "I believe we agreed I would give you your payment after the girl was caught." He slowly moved over to the kidnapper, a wicked grin on his face. "But I said nothing of money."

Meryl clenched her mouth shut to stop the scream building in her throat as Knives suddenly clamped his hands upon the shoulders of the kidnapper, his fangs growing as he turned to the insurance girl with a sadistic smile. Seeing he had her full attention he swivelled his head back to the man in his grasp and promptly sank his teeth into his neck, the kidnapper yelling once before he suddenly grew quiet. The small insurance girl watched in horror as a trail of blood flowed from the man's neck beneath Knives' mouth, creating a dark puddle beneath the two as her eyes refused to turn from the grotesque sight. Finally the blond pulled away from the stranger while Meryl focused her horrified orbs on the man's chest, rising and falling slowly until his breathing completely stopped.

With a dark chuckle Knives let the man fall lifelessly to the ground with a dull thud, removing a handkerchief from his pocket and turning his attention back to the small woman. She watched as he wiped the blood from his mouth, shivering as his teeth slowly pushed back into his mouth and he stepped away from the dead man at his feet.

"Do you see?" Knives asked her, dropping the handkerchief onto the table. He stood before her, towering over her quivering frame as she looked defiantly at his stance. "You are nothing more than food for my kind" he mocked, his maniacal smile widening. "Worthless insects." A soft chuckle rising to his lips as his eyes lit up with his words. "Nothing more than spiders."

Meryl didn't answer his remark, grinding her teeth together to keep from shouting at him and possibly getting herself killed. After a long moment of silence Knives began pacing around her seat, his cold eyes always watching her.

"What does Vash see in your kind, can you tell me this spider?" he questioned her. "Filthy creatures you are when he could be something better. I was foolish, believing he only needed my blood to become one of us" he spoke, now muttering almost incoherently to himself. "But apparently he must also be killed, and by the same vampire who's blood runs through his veins."

Meryl listened to his half coherent rambling, understanding enough to know she needed to warn Vash. But before she could even shift her body to examine the strength of the ropes Knives' eyes were on her form, and she didn't like the way he was looking at her.

"Now what should I do with you?" he asked, though obviously didn't expect an answer. "Should I make you into a vampire?" Knives bared his fangs in a mocking smile but he merely shook his head at the suggestion. "No, not yet at least. Maybe something closer to _him_."

Knives stopped in front of her, a humorless smile upon his face. Meryl struggled against the ropes that bound her, trying frantically to escape the monster before her; any distance from him would have been received with eagerness. He leaned his face over hers, his hands placed on the arms of her chair as his fangs lengthened within a breadth's width of her face. However, his smile suddenly slid off his face as he sniffed the air around her, a low growl coming from his throat. Knives inched his face closer to her body, traveling farther down until stopping at her abdomen.

_What in the world is he doing! _Meryl thought frantically. She squirmed in her chair, his close proximity violating her space and his sudden change of attitude causing her fear to rise.

"I smell Vash on you, spider" Knives growled softly, moving his face away from her. Dark humor lay in his eyes as he looked into her own, understanding dawning on his face as a slow chuckle emerged from his lips. "You're with his child. Family then."

Meryl's eyes widened at his words, the instinct to clutch her stomach blocked by the ropes which held her. Then she caught herself, for a moment merely staring incredulously at the insane man before her and believing him to be mocking her love for Vash. However, the smile reappeared on Knives' face and Meryl flinched in fear, losing her train of thought from his sudden amusement.

"And what do you spiders say about family?" he asked, standing straight. He ran a hardened fingernail down his palm, cutting the tender flesh. A single line of crimson ran down his pale flesh, dripping slowly to the floor. "Blood is thicker than water?"

Before Meryl could blink Knives had shoved his bleeding hand over her face while his other settled behind her head, cutting off her breathing and forcing her against his palm. For several minutes she held her breath until she had no choice but to open her mouth, gasping for the much needed air. When she did the blood came pouring into her mouth, sliding down her throat as she still struggled in the iron grip holding her. She choked on the cool, metallic liquid, her mind screaming its rage even as her mouth latched on for more.

Then Knives suddenly pulled away, leaving Meryl coughing as she still tasted his blood in her mouth. Her eyes widened as her skin began to tingle, causing her to shift in her seat as the feeling increased to an uncomfortable level. Her breathing grew shallow as she turned her horrified eyes toward Knives, his own watching her with interest as he held his no longer bleeding hand to himself. A stabbing sensation violently ripped through her body and she let out a sharp gasp, tears coming to her eyes while her body began to squirm in her seat. She arched her back away from the chair, her eyes wide with a increased shot of pain as a strangled cry was ripped from her throat. The bindings dug into her flesh as she strained against them, her vision blinded by red as she felt Knives' blood move through her body like fire. She could feel something inside her shift as her muscle spasms increased, her limbs twitching as her eyes stared sightlessly at the ceiling above her.

As quickly as the attack had come the feelings left, leaving Meryl winded and trembling in her chair. Her eyes shut as her body was nearly collapsing with exhaustion, the sudden light tapping of boots upon the floor telling of the blond's approach toward her. A single coherent thought managed to work its way through her confused mind; why could she now hear him?

"This could be interesting" she heard Knives say as she felt him place his hand on her stomach. She felt a light push from something inside her, reacting to the touch of another and straining against her stomach walls. "Tell my brother he has a healthy boy" he whispered in her ear, and Meryl thought she could sense a hint of pride in his voice. "Now, sleep" he spoke, and her body obeyed.

Vash sat on their couch in shock, the clock in the kitchen showing the time to be approaching midnight. He had tried for several hours to find Meryl by using his tracking skills but a sudden sandstorm had covered the trail, a trick he imagined Legato had a hand in. Using Wolfwood's sense of smell had proven pointless because of the crowded town, too many scents mingling with one another to catch on to a single trail. Now he had nothing to do but wait, wait until they probably found her body, drained of blood and reeking of Knives. Unbidden tears rose to his eyes at the thought of his little insurance girl killed by his own brother, making him wonder if he could truly kill his own flesh and blood for revenge.

"_I doubt there will be any need for such violence, little brother."_

Vash's head shot up at the voice in his head, his face hardening as he stood from the couch. He could sense his brother's aura not far from the house, Knives apparently wanting the blond to find him. Grabbing his discarded coat and gun from the doorway he headed out, knowing he would have to deal with his brother without the aid of his friends.

Vash followed the presence through the winding streets and among the dingy buildings, his steps careful but hurried as he thought of the possibility of a trap. Reaching about the center of town the trail suddenly disappeared, leaving him lost in the many buildings surrounding him as he turned his head in every direction. Then did he spot a form moving on the ground a few yarz from him, apparently waking from unconsciousness with some effort. A familiar groan shook him from his watching and he quickly hurried over to the figure, falling to his knees as he reached a trembling hand out to brush a finger along the person's cheek.

Meryl.

With a swift movement Vash brought her into his arms, her breathing and lack of wounds causing a few tears of joy to slide down his cheek. Then did the small insurance girl open her eyes and look at him, at first flinching from his face but relaxing quickly afterward. He didn't know why she jerked from him but the smile on her face washed away all of those thoughts, hugging her close to him as he managed to stop the tears. However, he could not stop the guilt which was now rising in his chest, knowing she was all right but still allowing her capture to happen.

"I'm sorry" Vash whispered, a quiver in his voice.

"For what?" Meryl replied, trying to sit up in his arms and falling limply back down. She groaned as her muscles screamed in protest at her small movement, a sharp pain in her stomach more pronounced than the others.

"For not being able to protect you" Vash whispered gently. "Now hold still."

Vash began checking her for any bite marks, and thought he couldn't find any wounds beside the head trauma there was blood around her mouth. His sigh of relief caught in his throat, as he noticed her teeth. They were larger and sharper than he remembered. Looking closer at her form, he saw that her skin was now a pale creme, and when she turned her eyes he could see the pupils were more slitted than humanely possible.

"Vash" Meryl whispered, then suddenly groaned and clutched her stomach.

Drawing Vash's attention to that area, his eyes grew wide as he watched the flesh ripple beneath her hand and clothes, almost as if it were alive. Seeing his shocked face, Meryl grabbed one of the arms holding her, forcing him to look at her.

"The baby" she gasped, as she felt a surge of nausea pass through her body.

Vash's eyes slitted in anger, realizing the implications of what Knives might have done to her. He snarled quietly as he held her against him tighter, his eyes a deep red as he looked down into her worried face.

"Whose baby?" he whispered, gently shaking her as her eyes tried to close.

"Yours" she whispered with a smile, before her eyes rolled back and her head fell limply on his shoulder.


	14. Family Matters

A/N: Another chapter dragged from the depths of my mind...and I feel like I'm going to hit bottom soon. Thanks everyone!

Family Matters

Vash's mouth had dropped open as he heard the single word Meryl had uttered. For a few long moments he simply cradled her unconscious body in his arms, stupefied beyond movement. Then he snapped to attention at the sound of her troubled breathing, picking her up bridal style and setting off for the house at a gentle sprint. He kicked the door open and strode into the house, alerting the other frantic occupants to his arrival. They had been searching for him since they had discovered his disappearance.

After Vash told them the shocking news, Millie quickly took her up to their room to make her comfortable. The gunman himself stumbled into the kitchen, exhausted from the ordeal and in need of a sugar boost. Wolfwood followed him with noticeable concern, wondering what would happen with the short girl in her current predicament. He waited patiently for the blond to scour the cabinets for a box of donuts, finding a package quickly, and watched as the half-vampire sat down at the kitchen table.

"What are you gonna do, Vash?" the priest finally asked, leaning against the entrance frame. "Is there anything you _can_ do?"

For a long moment there was a silent pause of conversation, though the sounds of Vash munching on donuts were still quite audible. The gunman's face was gravely downcast as he carefully ate a jelly-filled treat, nibbling on the sides with nervousness. Noticing the slight twitching of the blond's hand, showing his obvious fear for Meryl and the baby's health, the priest knew they had a problem with the small insurance girl.

"Wolfwood, I don't know how to help her" he admitted between bite fulls of donuts. The energy he had used today had greatly depleted his reserves and without the sugar his body would seek out another source of nourishment; namely, blood. Now possibly Meryl would have this same weakness, both a pleasant and an unhappy fact. She was just like him now, but did he really want her to have such a cursed life? "I'm not even sure what Knives did to her yet" he continued, blessedly breaking his train of increasingly fearful thoughts. "She only had time to tell me the child was mine and then she passed out."

"You think she's...?" Wolfwood's question trailed off, not willing himself to admit they might have to kill the small girl. The shaking of his friend's head brought a relieved sigh to his lips.

"She's not a vampire, I could hear her heart" Vash quickly replied, pushing the now finished box of donuts away from him. "But I'm not sure what the child is." With the possibility of Knives' blood in her system, the kid would still be Meryl's and his but would have heightened abilities which came with having both parents who were half-vampires. He could only imagine his brother had planned such a 'treat' for him, dragging his entire family into their fight regardless of being born or not.

Wolfwood pondered the words of his friend, puffing away on his depleting cigarette as he watched the worried expressions cross Vash's face. Perhaps he could think of a way to cheer up the soon-to-be father, who was now bordering on a seizure with fear so uncharacteristic of him.

"Well, there's something to think about" Wolfwood suddenly spoke, catching Vash's attention with a questioning glance. "Meryl's brains and your inhuman abilities. What kind of monster are you creating, needle noggin?" he teased, thankfully getting the reaction he'd hoped for.

"Hey" Vash pouted, his face pulling down in a frown. "What about _my_ brains?"

"Not much there to speak of" Wolfwood chuckled, the cigarette dangling precariously from his mouth.

Vash's mouth turned down in a pout for a moment before being replaced by a grin. He walked up to the smoking priest and with a swipe of his hand quickly removed the bent cigarette from Wolfwood's mouth, turning around and walking to the kitchen door. Opening the portal and looking over to the still shocked preacher, he promptly flung the cigarette out into the desert and shut the door. A somewhat evil chuckle escaped the blond's lips at the shocked and angered expression of his best friend, walking back to once more seat himself at the table.

"Smoking isn't healthy for the baby" Vash spoke, grinning from ear to ear at his cruel yet truthful revenge.

The blond left the priest still gawking in horror in the kitchen entrance, walking up the stairs to see how Meryl was doing. His mood began to darken the closer he came, hearing no noise from their bedroom as he knocked on the closed door. At an answer from Millie he entered, immediately noticing the pale figure on the bed with the big girl tucking the covers in for her. After seeing Meryl was as comfortable as she could make her, the tall insurance girl walked over to Vash and gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

"She'll be all right Mr. Vash, just you wait and see" Millie said, smiling at him and leaving the couple alone.

Vash walked over to the bed and kneeled beside Meryl's still figure, whimpering at her frail condition and that of the baby. He started when he noticed her eyes opening, showing she was awake. He gave her a shaky smile, rubbing his hand soothingly along her arm. The pain he watched flit across her face as she looked to him was terrible to watch, wrenching at his heart as she shifted with a low, pained moan.

"I'm sorry" he whispered, seeing her turn her head toward him in brief confusion.

"Sorry for what?" Meryl asked with a slight frown, her voice hoarse from lack of liquids. Her eyes bore into his and she noticed the depth of pain he felt for having not been able to save her, at being so careless knowing his brother was after them; but she didn't care about any of that. Her main worry right now was for the child, growing rapidly as she could only assume her new regenerative powers were seeing the babe in a weakened state and was accelerating its growth as though repairing its body. The slight sniffling beside her quickly returned her attention to the distraught man beside her.

"For doing this to you" he spoke quietly. Tears slid down his face, as he bowed his head in shame. The one person her had ever truly loved and here she was, in pain because of him. A hand suddenly brushed against his cheek and he looked up, startled by the soft gesture. Meryl was looking at him, her face showing the strong expression he'd always known and loved.

"You idiot, Vash" she spoke softly, her hand making its way down to one of his. Clasping his calloused pad, she smiled warmly at him through the pain. "I wanted this too, so you'd better not collapse on me or the baby."

Vash grinned and nodded his head, resting a hand on the moving skin beneath the nightgown. He was shocked to feel her pregnancy already showing, the stretched stomach allowing him to arch his hand over the shifting flesh. Then the gunman frowned slightly, not sure how soon the child would be born if the generation was happening so quickly. He also had no idea what the birthing would be like, a thought which scared him and caused more worry to grow for his Meryl.

"Meryl, did Knives tell you anything about the baby?" he asked quietly, his worried eyes looking into her own.

Meryl frowned in concentration, trying to remember the few words which had passed between them during the encounter. She shivered at the images of his hand clamped over her mouth and the feeling of blood rushing down her throat, but she managed to recall a few words he had afterward spoke.

"He said for me to tell you that the baby was healthy, and a boy" she said, smiling gently at the soon-to-be father. Then she frowned, the memories fading after his words and only fragments of Vash finding her still stored in her mind. "I can't really remember anything else, but I don't think Knives spoke after I passed out."

Vash nodded his head and stood, carefully slipping onto the bed between the headboard and Meryl. He gently guided her head into his lap, mindful of her pained stomach, and smiled down at her as he leant back against the headboard. Sighing contentedly, the blond looked over to the windows and watched as day replaced night. He silently thanked Millie for putting curtains over the glass, knowing his insurance girl wouldn't be able to stand the light for a few more days.

Looking back to the frail form, Vash smiled as he noticed the closed eyes and even breathing. The ordeal and rising sun had obviously taken their toll on his little mate, allowing her to drift off into a peaceful sleep. He leaned his head back against the wall and began to wonder what the feeling of being a father was like, imagining playing with the baby and teaching the child all about love and peace and the joys of donuts. Rubbing her growing stomach, the blond realized he would learn quickly, and the worry for the birthing was still prominent in his mind.

Feeling drowsiness seep over his form, Vash closed his eyes and allowed himself a peaceful rest. Maybe tomorrow would look brighter.

Millie slowly opened the bedroom door and peeked her head into the room, smiling as she saw the couple sleeping peacefully with one another. Quietly closing the portal she turned her footsteps to the other bedroom and noticed the black-haired priest lounging on the bed, his eyes closed and his arms crossed behind his head. The big girl walked over and slid into the covers beside him, snuggling up to his warmth with pleasure. For a long moment neither spoke, though both were awake, and then the insurance girl broke the silence.

"Nicholas, have you ever thought of children?" Millie asked quietly, smiling at her priest. She watched with hope and love as his eyes shot open at the question, his mouth turned up in a twitching grin.

"About that" Wolfwood began nervously, sitting up in the bed and looking her in the eyes. "There are some changes I forgot to tell you about." At her quizzical look he took a big swallow and continued. "You can only get pregnant when there's a full moon" he spoke quickly, his words nearly blurring together. _Good lord, I'm acting like Vash _the priest thought with some apprehension. _What have these women done to us?_

"Really?" Millie questioned, her voice lacking any emotion other than curiosity and interest. Then she grinned wide and Wolfwood exhaled the breath he'd been holding; his big girl never failed to surprise him with her acceptance of anything. "Then does that mean we're going to have puppies?"

The shocked priest merely stared at her for several seconds, his mouth agape and his eyes wide. Then he composed himself and smiled, his eyes soft as he brought her to his chest.

"Sure does, honey" he whispered in her ear, laying back down with Millie still in his arms. They both closed their eyes and followed their friends into sleep.

A comfortable stillness entered into the tiny house. The happy couples slept the day away, all mentally and physically exhausted from the ordeal. The presence of their chosen partners helped to ease the stress they had felt, giving them nothing but sweet dreams. However, the moment Vash awoke he knew they would have fewer such nights for a long while to come.

The blond gunman stirred as the sun slowly sank beneath the dusty horizon, opening his bright orbs and blinking sleepily. His eyes widened in shock, however, as his vision focused on the small insurance girl still in his lap, a shaky hand lifting up to settle on her abdomen. She appeared to be in her fifth month of pregnancy, lifting her shirt to see her stomach muscles taut and her breasts beginning to swell.A sudden laughter within his own mind snapped him out of his daze and a low growl reverberated in his throat.

"_Do you like my gift, brother?" _a cold voice asked, a hint of amusement in the words.

"_She didn't do anything to you, Knives, so why did you hurt her?"_ Vash asked angrily, clutching Meryl closer to himself though being careful not to wake her.

"_But I did it for you, Vash"_ Knives spoke, chuckling as he sensed his brother's confusion. _"I made her just like you, she should be honored. But then" _and his voice grew cold as he spoke, causing Vash to grit his teeth together at the chill. _"Humans can be so ungrateful, possibly she believes my gift to be a curse."_

"_What did you do to our son?" _Vash asked impatiently, tired of hearing the same arguments from his brother. _"He's growing faster than a normal child should."_

"_I merely gave him the best start in life, the best an uncle could give to his nephew" _Knives replied and the blond could practically feel the smirk on the lunatic's face. _"With my blood and both of your genes he'll be much stronger than any pathetic spider. You'll let me visit with him when he is old enough, won't you?" _the vampire asked, his voice a low whisper of barely suppressed eagerness.

"NO!" Vash shouted aloud, waking Meryl and the rest of the household. _"I will never let you lay a hand on our son!" _he spoke in his mind, feeling the connection sever with one final chuckle from his brother.

"Vash, is everything all right?" Meryl asked worriedly, ignoring the increased pains and weight in her stomach as she sat up. "What happened?" she questioned, turning as Millie and Wolfwood came to stand in the doorway.

"Knives has plans for our son."


	15. Testing the Limits

A/N: I would give a reason for my tardiness but all I have are excuses. My sincerest apologies with a chapter.

Testing the Limits

For the longest moment time seemed to stand still for the four, each of their thoughts mulling over what Vash had said. The blond had evidently spoken to his brother and the conversation had taken a dark turn, leading to his startling words. Finally Meryl broke the silence with a question which confused both her and her partner.

"What are you talking about?" Meryl asked slowly, looking into the green-blue orbs.

"Knives" Vash finally spoke after a moment of silence, the name telling all the increased trouble which was now upon them. "He...contacted me, through our link" he explained, reliving the conversation even as he told the others of the interaction with his brother.

Vash sighed and pulled Meryl closer, as much to comfort her as himself. He didn't want to tell them what had been spoken between the two, knowing the worry would burden them further. In Meryl's condition such an emotion was not healthy for the child.

"What did he say, Vash?" Wolfwood questioned, lighting a cigarette with a calm he didn't feel. The problems just continued to mount; the man in black half expected the vampire himself to show his face.

"He wants our son, but for what I don't know" the gunman answered, his voice quiet and his face turned away from the watching group.

Each person within the room fell silent as the possibilities in Vash's words arose in their minds. Meryl looked to Millie, the two partners' eyes both holding worry. Wolfwood's, however, held a different sort of emotion as he trained them upon the gunman silently holding the short girl. The gaze was almost suspicious, brightening for a moment before a small frown creased his lips.

"You know something you're not telling us" the priest suddenly accused, leaning against the dresser near the bed. "We don't have time to deal with your foolin' around, Vash. You know the reason he wants your kid, so why don't you tell us?"

There was a long moment of silence, during which Meryl and Millie looked to the blond for answers. They knew the response would not be good, but truthfulness was vital during a time when they had to watch their backs. Not only did the night hold enemies, but since the short girl's kidnaping, the day was also dangerous.

"I think he wants to make our son into a vampire, so I'll join him" Vash sighed, running a hand soothingly through Meryl's hair. "But don't worry" he tried to assure, "I won't let Knives touch him."

Meryl gulped silently, her hand instinctively reaching out to grasp his own. The thought of their unborn child in danger was enough to shake her nerve, along with several more revelations. The psychotic vampire had a strong hold on Vash, one which she was afraid would be used to destroy him. Would he truly be able to kill his brother in order to save the people now nestled in their homes, even the people around them? But looking into his eyes, Meryl saw he would not willingly sacrifice anyone for the good of others. The peaceful gunman would protect everyone with his own life; she only hoped he would do so without dying in the process.

"How are you feeling?" Vash asked, breaking Meryl from her thoughts.

"A little sore" she admitted, rubbing her swollen stomach soothingly. "But most of the pain is gone and I think I can move around without any trouble."

"We should see what bond we have before you go anywhere" the blond spoke slowly, realizing the difficulty with how to explain their unusual predicament. "Maybe we have a connection similar to what Knives has with me, which would be really helpful" Vash attempted to comment casually, forcing a smile upon his face.

Meryl scrunched up her face in some disbelief, not quite understanding what connection the half-vampire had with his brother. She knew of the detection Knives could employ to find Vash, having been told, but other than the previous fact she knew next to nothing of the blood tie. The insurance girl was even unsure if the two had a bond, being as they both had Knives' blood in their bodies and not each other's.

"We'll go slow and find out together" Vash soothed, having seen the doubt flashing across the short girl's features. "But first" he began, his usual grin falling into place, "we find you something to eat. I know I'm hungry."

"Me too!" Millie quipped in, giving the group a large smile. "What do you want me to get you, Meryl?" she asked, turning her full kindly attention to the soon-to-be parent.

"I-I don't really know" Meryl stuttered, biting her lip in thought. "I mean, I'm hungry but I don't know what for. Not blood, though" she added with a hint of a smile

For a moment there was a long silence as each pondered what Meryl could eat. Vash, also being a half-vampire, was on a strict sugar diet with the occasional unpleasant bloodlust. Fortunately the blond had found donuts as his substitute for people and had happily stayed on the self-imposed diet; but now what could the short girl eat? A sudden exclamation from behind the said woman caused three pairs of eyes to turn toward the gunman with curiosity.

"Do you like ice-cream?" Vash asked hopefully.

"Well..." Meryl began hesitantly, not sure whether a life of cold, flavored ice-cream would be to her liking.

"Banana cream sundae is Meryl's favorite!" Millie chimed in.

Meryl almost glared at her friend, silent wishing the big girl would not be so helpful against her; though the idea of ice cream was beginning to appeal to her. Her thoughts were justified soon after a rumbling erupted from her stomach, causing her to blush sheepishly around the room. Vash smiled and turned toward the two still standing near the doorway to the bedroom.

"Can you guys get some ice cream?" he pleaded, looking to his discarded coat hanging over a lone chair not far from the bed. "There's some money in the pockets and I'm sure some of the stores are still open at this time."

"Sure thing, Mr. Vash" Millie replied, walking over to the red coat and digging through the clothing. "Anything for you and Meryl. Will this be enough?" she questioned, holding up a large roll of bills.

"Come on, dear. If we don't get moving the shops will be closed" Wolfwood spoke, grabbing Millie gently by the hand and walking in the direction of the door.

"Dear?" Vash asked with a smirk.

"I told you she was good, didn't I?" Wolfwood answered, giving the blond a wink and leading the big girl out the door.

Meryl huffed at the priest's parting words, crossing her arms over her chest and sinking back into Vash's arms. She knew she was being more irritable than usual, but could contribute the extra anger to the mood swings of pregnancy.

Among other worries.

"Relax" Vash murmured in her ear, wrapping his arms tighter around her.

"How am I suppose to relax when my stomach is visibly growing as we speak and your crazy brother has already threatened our child!" she exclaimed

Silence filled the room as Meryl realized what she had said, watching with guilt as Vash's eyes held a pained look. She reached up and cupped a cheek in her hand, rubbing her palm soothingly along his face. He gave her a shaky grin, some of the pain leaving his lit orbs as he leaned into her touch.

"I'm sorry, Vash" she murmured, dropping her hand and nuzzling her cheek into his shirt. "I...I just feel so useless sitting here waiting for something to happen."

"It's alright" Vash spoke, chuckling as a grin spread across his face.

_What a bearcat._

"And what do you mean by that!" Meryl almost snarled, once more on the offensive. "Who wouldn't be a bearcat with a broom-head as a husband?"

Vash blinked in confusion, almost positive he hadn't said those words aloud. However, the fuming woman in his arms was enough proof he'd said _something_ wrong. He inwardly groaned, wondering how long the trip for ice cream would take their friends and hoping they arrived before Meryl decided to get physical.

Which was his last thought before a pillow was slammed into his face.

"Hey, what'd you do that for?" he whimpered after removing the fluffy object from his head.

"For you sighing so loudly" Meryl irritatingly told him, crossing her arms once more and turning her face away from the confused blond.

Now Vash was positive he hadn't vocally created a noise. Then did the blond's eyebrows raise as the situation fell into place, realization with what had occurred coming to his mind. However, he still wasn't certain with his hypothesis...which meant an experiment was in order.

_God, she looks sexy when she's mad._

A hard smacking sound was suddenly heard as the blond yelped in pain, stinging tears appearing in his eyes.

"You're such a pig, Vash!" Meryl yelled, retracting her hand from his face. "How can you think about sex when I'm as big as a whale and your brother is trying to finish what he started?"

As Vash brushed his hand against his now bruising cheek, he admitted to himself he'd taken his luck a little too far with the experiment. However, a new problem presented itself when his 'test subject' attempted to remove herself from his lap, still angered over his less than appropriate comment. He trapped her against his chest, despite her growling protests, and gave her a flashing grin.

"And what are you smiling at?" Meryl nearly snarled, the tips of her small fangs peeking over her lips. The short girl's eyes held a glint of red, telling Vash he was pushing the safe level of teasing.

"We have a mental bond" Vash quickly informed the hot-tempered woman, his smile quivering at her glowing eyes. However, the blond breathed an inward sigh of relief when a puzzled expression crossed his mate's face at his words. "You've been reading my mind for the past few minutes."

"I can...read your mind?" Meryl spoke in a hushed voice, disbelief apparent in her words. Vash nodded his head, his eyes twinkling with both humor and pride at her ability. "But how? I don't know how to read minds" the short girl argued.

"It must be because of our, uh, bond" Vash explained with some embarrassment, fondly nuzzling her currently unruly hair.

"Oh" Meryl answered sheepishly, blushing. One of her hands drifted across her large stomach, which had thankfully stopped shifting, and smiled.

"You've gotten stronger, too" Vash commented teasingly, rubbing his still sore cheek. "I haven't hurt this bad since a herd of thomas ran me over."

"I'm so sorry!" Meryl exclaimed, having forgotten her earlier physical outburst. She attempted to stand in order to retrieve a wet towel but Vash's arms still held her tightly. "Um, Vash? You have to let me go sometime."

"Do I?" he asked with an innocent smile, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "I'm comfortable. Besides" he added, his voice slightly more serious, "we should find out if you have any other, um, abilities."

"What else could I have?" Meryl asked curiously. She could not recall any of the vampire's powers from the old tales, only knowing they preyed upon people at night to suck their blood.

"Well, I really don't know" Vash honestly replied, rubbing the back of his head. "I've never tried to use anything before because, you know..." His voice faltered slightly, his smile slipping off his face as his eyes seemed to cloud over with a deep sadness.

"I understand" the short girl responded with a comforting smile, snuggling into his chest. "You didn't want to seem different. It's alright; we'll just have to experiment, that's all."

"Experiment?" Vash questioned with a suddenly lecherous grin. The hand still wrapped around Meryl's stomach began to creep higher, brushing over her swollen abdomen with affection before sliding toward her breasts. The encouraging gasp from the short girl caused a wicked chuckle to escape his lips. "Does this experiment involve our clothes on or off?"

"Can't you keep your mind on the task at hand!" Meryl yelled, knocking his hand away with a gentle slap. "I try to be serious for one moment and yo-"

The remaining part of her sentence was cut short as a pair of lips descended upon her own, knocking the breath from her with its intensity and possessiveness. After a few long moments which involved not a little tongue she pulled apart, her eyes partially lidded and her breathing ragged. As Meryl realized what Vash had done a scowl began to appear on her face, but her coming rage was stilled as her stomach suddenly growled loudly. The gunman chuckled as her face blushed.

"I wish Millie would hurry up" Meryl grumbled impatiently, embarrassed by her stomach's rebellious nature and trying to hide the emotion.

As though summoned the pair suddenly heard the front door downstairs open, the sound of two voices drifting upstairs showing the food had arrived. Vash, with a low groan of defeat at the intrusion, reluctantly stopped his teasing assault of Meryl's body and leaned back against the head of the bed. A few moments later the door to the bedroom opened, Millie briskly strolled into the room with a paper bag in her hand and dragging a protesting priest behind her. With a large grin the big girl proudly dropped her package on the bed, also releasing her 'captive' from her strong grip.

"Who wants ice-cream!" Millie yelled with merriment, throwing her hands up for emphasis. The big girl, however, stopped as Meryl noticeably flinched at the loud noise, her smile turning into an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Meryl" she spoke, rushing to her friends side. "Loud noises must hurt pretty bad right now with your new hearing."

"My new hearing?" Meryl questioned curiously, softly rubbing her ears. "I don't know what you're talking about, Millie."

"Sure you do" Millie insisted, smiling again. "You keep rubbing your stomach in time with the baby's heartbeat" she said, looking at all the puzzled expressions around her. "Now who wants ice-cream?" she asked, though in a softer voice.

With a jerk Meryl realized her friend's words were true, her eyes traveling downward to see her hand indeed over her stomach. Vash chuckled behind her, placing his hand over her own and matching her rhythm.

"I think Millie might be right" Vash whispered teasingly, laughing as the short girl batted his hand away with annoyance. "Come on, Meryl" he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"I'll deal with you later" Meryl said, turning her scowl away from the blond and back to her beaming friend. "But how did you..." she was about to question until she remembered the 'change' Millie had also gone through. "I guess you're right, Millie" she admitted, giving a small laugh. "Now, about that ice-cream."


	16. Delivery Dilemmas

A/N: I'm so sorry for the long wait. As an apology the chapter is one of the longest.

Delivery Dilemmas

The occupants of the room watched with silent breath as the spoon was dipped into the ice-cream and rose with a small scoop in its bowl. With a nervous twitch of the hand holding the utensil, the cold treat was slowly brought to the petit mouth. After a second of hesitation, in which three inhalations of worry were heard, the spoon quickly slipped into the mouth.

"So?" Vash asked nervously from the end of the bed, his own bowl of ice-cream forgotten and melted in his lap. The spoon in his own hand was slightly shivering in anticipation, his eyes unmoving from his chewing mate. The gunman didn't even notice he was holding his breath, so fixed was his attention on the mother of his child.

"Well, Meryl?" Millie chimed in after her friend remained silent for a moment, the smaller woman's face set in contemplation as she finally swallowed the cold treat.

"I could live on this" Meryl finally admitted, causing three exhales of relief to fill the air. "Actually, I think I'm feeling better already" she added, digging her spoon once more into the ice-cream with more enthusiasm.

Vash grinned as he watched the mother of his child begin to devour the ice-cream in her bowl, stifling a chuckle when she eagerly asked for more from the large container that Wolfwood and Millie had fetched from the nearest store. One problem was solved with Meryl's willingness to consume ice-cream, the baby now having a reliable source of food.

"Well, that's one less worry for you, needle-noggin'" Wolfwood commented, slapping Vash on the back and nearly causing the blond to choke on his spoon. "Now just raising a kid and dealing with your insane, vampire brother and your life could be liveable."

"Thanks for reminding me" the gunman grumbled, taking his spoon and beginning to dig into his ice-cream. "You know" he spoke through a mouthful of cold dessert, "you haven't told us how you and Millie are going to handle when the next full moon comes around."

"Well" Wolfwood began, setting his bowl atop the dresser and leaning back against the wall. "We were just going to go to the outskirts of the city and see what happened."

"You're going to do what!" Meryl sputtered, nearly choking on what remained of her food. "What if she can't control herself like you were before? What if you can't control yourself and decide people are food again! You could hurt someone pulling a stunt like that!" she exclaimed, her hands balling into angry fists as she rang off every horrible possibility. "And if one of the townspeople sees you two, what then!" she now yelled, ripping the covers off herself and attempting to climb out of bed. The priest needed someone to knock some sense into his thick skull and the ice-cream had given her more than enough energy to do the job.

"Everything will be fine" Vash soothed, gently holding her shoulders as she half-heartedly thrashed in his grip. "Wolfwood knows what he's doing, right?" he spoke, the question aimed at the said priest. The half-hearted shrug did not help his opinion, nor Meryl's confidence, and his grip tightened slightly as the young woman tried with more enthusiasm to make her way toward the man in black.

"I'll be fine, Meryl" Millie spoke up, giving her partner a wide smile. "Nicholas will be there with me if anything goes wrong. Besides, I don't think I'd like to eat anyone, no matter what I am."

Millie spoke the last few words with such confidence the tension in the air seemed to depart like a breeze had blown through, easing two of the other occupants with a grateful sigh. Meryl, however, was still less than pleased but with a final "humph" she stopped her objections to the plan. Instead, the petit woman folded her arms across her swollen stomach, slowly rubbing the large bulge as a way to calm herself.

Vash carefully took Meryl's empty bowl from beside her while Wolfwood managed to grab Millie's, the two of them leaving the room to allow the women to talk together. The friends walked silently down the hall, making sure to leave earshot of the girls, before beginning a conversation.

"How's the short girl doing?" Wolfwood quietly asked, still being cautious with the improved hearing of the women. "She looks pretty good, considering everything that's happened to her."

"Well, the baby seems to have calmed down" Vash spoke, a subdued optimism in his voice. "And Meryl hasn't complained about any pain for a while, but I don't know if the process is done or not." His face turned grim as the two stepped down the stairs and rounded the corner into the kitchen. "I mean, I've never heard of this happening, have you?"

"Nope" Wolfwood answered casually, digging in his shirt pocket for his packet of cigarettes. After a few short moments of struggling he finally succeeded in grabbing a stick, tucking the cigarette into his mouth. "Though by the looks of her, I don't think the baby's gonna be long. Imagine, a broom-head like you being a dad" the priest teased, grinning widely as his friend's body seemed to straighten with pride.

"Yeah, and a boy, too. Can you believe it?" Vash asked, giving his goofy smile. "I may even have to find a decent job and settle down, especially if Meryl wants me to."

"Yeah, go against her and you're in for a quick losing battle. Of course, you haven't even proposed to the short girl yet" the priest added slyly, grinning as the blond gave him a pouting look. "You know, her family may not be happy about this arrangement."

"Who's side are you on?" Vash whined, placing Meryl's bowl in the sink while Wolfwood did the same with Millie's. "I was getting to that part...sometime. I was just, uh, waiting for the right moment."

"Are you thinking, Vash?" Wolfwood questioned disbelievingly, staring incredulously at the blond. "A girl like Meryl isn't going to wait forever, and she isn't the type to wait patiently for a needle noggin' like you."

"I'll get to it" Vash said, his tone becoming more sober. "But right now isn't a good time" he added, his eyes drifting toward the darkened window. One large obstacle still barred his way to a happy life, but how to deal with the problem without killing his own brother was still unsolved.

"Yeah" Wolfwood agreed, his head turning upward to where the girls were. "This isn't going to be good for the Insurance Girls. They don't really know what they've gotten themselves into."

Suddenly the two men heard the banging of a door flung open and hitting a wall, quickly followed by hurried footsteps pounding down the stairs. Millie appeared a few seconds later, her mouth set in a thin line and her eyes looking between the two men with underlying worry.

"It's Meryl!" she yelled, her hands gripping the entrance's border with white knuckles.

Immediately Wolfwood threw his cigarette aside as Vash sprinted past the Big Girl, his eyes wide in terror. Within seconds he was in the bedroom and at the Insurance Girl's side, gathering her quickly in his arms as a cry of pain broke from her lips.

"Meryl!" Vash yelled, clutching her against his chest as she jerked in his hold. Seeing liquid soak the covers beneath her his head shot up, the anxious gunman looking to the entering Millie and Wolfwood with worried eyes. "She's going into labor!"

Thankfully for the distraught males, Millie took charge, immediately ordering the priest to grab a basin of water and towels. She herself took Meryl from Vash's reluctant hold, settling her friend down upon the bed and resting her head against one of the many pillows. Meryl's breathing became labored as a loud gasp of pain broke from her lips, her hands clutching wildly at her stomach.

Vash watched anxiously as Millie applied a wet cloth brought by the priest to Meryl's head, one of his hands instinctually grabbing her own as he sat behind the ailing woman. Suddenly the gunman's head shot up from his laboring mate, his eyes shifting quickly to the window looking out to the street. One of Wolfwood's eyebrows raised and he also looked to the glass, his mouth set in a thin line with anxiety.

"Wolfwood" the gunman spoke quietly, his aqua orbs never leaving the sill and his tone drastically changed to one of deadly calm. The only sign of tension emanating from the blond was the tightening of his hand upon the cover, trying his best not to worsen the already dire situation. "Someone's out there."

The warning was well taken by the friend as the man in black exited the room, heading down the stairs using wide strides. Passing the front closet he made a quick detour and removed his hidden Cross Punisher from beneath the coats, slinging the carefully wrapped weapon over one shoulder as he headed to the front door. Soon Wolfwood stepped cautiously out into the silent street, his loose hand mere inches from the pistols hidden within his cross. The priest's eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light, his gaze swiftly flying over the darkened street. His blue orbs immediately rested upon a single figure silhouetted against a tiny shop, the person unmoving and seemingly turned toward their home. Cautiously he moved toward the person, watching for any sign of shifting from them. His wait was short-lived.

"Greetings, Chapel" the dark figure spoke ominously, taking a few steps onto the dusty road. "The Master wishes to speak with you."

"I bet, Legato" Wolfwood replied, dropping his Cross Punisher beside him. Dust rose as the blanket covering the cross fell upon the ground, revealing the shining metal beneath. "Well, tell Knives I have other things to do than play his lapdog anymore" the priest informed, opening the pistol holds of the large weapon for added warning.

"The Master will not take no for an answer" Legato quietly replied, his tone eerily even as he stepped further into the street's light.

The vampire's fangs glinted in the glow of the lamp, causing Wolfwood to gulp quietly. The priest's fingers itched nervously as he looked between the insane monster and the glistening pistols, watching carefully for the first sign of movement. His wait was short as Legato suddenly disappeared, causing him to turn his head cooly from side to side with a grim face as he was unable to follow the movement. A noise behind him caused the man in black's breath to hitch as the slightest of breaths moved across his neck, his hands almost instinctually moving toward the many weapons lined in the Cross Punisher.

Unfortunately, as each of Wolfwood's grasped a pistol he was knocked forward, his body sliding painfully along the sand for several yarzs before coming to a halt. Quickly gathering his wits the priest swiftly rolled to the side, barely avoiding being grabbed as Legato's hand slammed into the ground where he had lain. Now lying upon his back he began shooting at the vampire, cursing within his mind as the monster easily dodged each bullet.

Wolfwood saw his chance, however, as he noticed the vampire slowly edging toward the streetlight he had stood under. The priest quickly stood to his feet as he managed to continue shooting his increasingly fewer bullets, sweat forming on his brow as he prayed to God for his plan to work. With a few more well placed shots he managed to intentionally, but unnoticeably, drive Legato almost directly beneath the light. With his prey in the trap he quickly turned both pistols upward toward the streetlight, shooting the electric bulb with precision aim and causing the glass to shatter upon vampire.

Surprised by the sudden explosion and shower of glass Wolfwood directed his one last bullet at the chest of the monster, firing even as the vampire attempted to recover from the unexpected trap. With a large smile the man in black watched as the bullet penetrated Legato's abdomen, sending blood out from the entrance point as the creature's body jerked in surprise. Silently the monster fell to one knee, his head bent down as if in pain.

The priest's grin, however, slowly fell from his face as Legato calmly held a single hand against the small hole, a small pool of blood slowly dripping from the quickly closing wound. A small chuckle escaped his pale lips as his gaze lifted to Wolfwood, a wicked half smirk revealing the ineffectiveness of the priest's bullet.

With blinding speed the vampire straightened and charged, a pale hand catching Wolfwood about the throat and lifting him several feet off the ground. Instinctively the priest dropped his guns and clutched at the appendage, struggling fruitlessly to gain air as the crushing grip began to cut off his breath.

"The Master wished for you to be brought without injury, but you have left me with little choice, Chapel" Legato spoke, the icy coolness in his voice chilling his words and the air around them.

A horrific scream ripped from the priest's throat as the monster reached up with his free hand and grabbed one of his struggling arms, snapping the arm backward in the direction of the elbow and effectively crushing the bone. As Wolfwood attempted to ease the incredible pain by relaxing his body Legato suddenly lowered his body and threw him forward, ejecting him toward the house. With a depth twist of his body Wolfwood managed to divert his direction toward the Cross Punisher, landing not more than a few yarzs from the weapon. Ignoring the pain from his broken arm he hurried to his feet and shot toward the cross, being able to grab another pistol before he sensed the vampire behind him.

Turning with supernatural speed Wolfwood shot the entire clip at the creature, a cry of anguish escaping his lips as all the projectiles missed the target. The priest crumpled to the ground as a fist connected with his stomach, feeling as several of his ribs broke upon contact. He covered his mouth as a wave of blood coughed out, spilling over his hand and dying the sand beneath him with a scarlet tinge. Beneath his breath he cursed his luck, watching carefully as Legato stood before him with his twisted smile upon his face. In his current form Wolfwood knew he couldn't win against the stronger, more agile vampire before him, not without some miracle. However, he knew the option of being defeated was not available, especially with whom lay behind him.

With a final spat of blood to the ground Wolfwood stood with his last strength and threw down the empty cartridge of his pistol. His blurring vision moved between the vampire and his Cross Punisher, the option of refilling a mere dream in his condition and situation. Fortunately for the priest, the sudden cry of a baby halted any further attacks from either side, causing both of the two combatants to turn their heads toward the top window of the house. The noise was repeated several times, telling the two in the street the child just born was indeed healthy.

Soon, however, Wolfwood quickly shifted his attention back to Legato, his eyes widening in slight fear as he noticed the vampire's gaze directed where his had been only moments before. Taking a step toward the distracted monster, the priest hesitated as the blue-haired demon's glowing eye returned to his person.

"The Master will be well pleased" the vampire spoke quietly, bowing before the stunned priest. "He wishes for Vash the Stampede to know his work is nearly done and soon the humans shall vanish."

With those final words the glow from the street lights were suddenly extinguished, relighting only seconds later with a violent flare. Now only an empty area remained where Legato had stood, leaving Wolfwood perplexed and with more questions to answer. Another cry awoke him from his stupor and the priest turned toward the house, sprinting across the short distance and pushing through the front door. With hurried steps he abandoned the Cross Punisher and quickly ran into the house, hurriedly climbing the stairs. Wolfwood's journey, however, came to a sudden halt as he arrived at the bedroom's open door, his blue orbs wandering over what he beheld.

Meryl lay atop the many pillows of the bed, her eyes closed and her breathing smooth. Sweat covered her sheeted body but she appeared to be sleeping peacefully, a slight smile upon her face. Beside her, his legs over the side and his eyes turned downward, sat Vash, his mouth slightly agape in awe. In his hands he held a small bundle, the object of his intent gaze.

"Vash" Wolfwood managed to cough out, trying his best to hide his condition. "How is he?" he asked, feeling his consciousness slipping as the blood loss and pain began to overtake him.

The gunman slowly turned toward the priest, the proud grin on his face slipping off as he saw his friend suddenly drop to the floor.


	17. Retreating From War

A/N: A long and inexcusable wait...apologizing wouldn't even cover the time.

**Retreating From War**

"Nicholas!" Millie screamed as she dove to catch him, managing to reach her hands beneath his head before he collided with the floor. "Nicholas, are you alright!" she yelled as she cradled his head in her lap, fighting back tears of fear as she turned to the blond gunman behind her. "Mr. Vash, will he be all right?" she asked, looking toward the gunman gently setting down the tiny bundle.

"Let me look at him" he spoke quietly, kneeling down beside the wounded werewolf. Grimly he looked at the bleeding holes over Wolfwood's body, lines of worry on his face. However, a small smile soon spread across his lips as he leaned back, turning to Milly with softly glowing eyes. "He's lost a lot of blood but he's gonna be fine. He's been in worse shape than this."

"That's wonderful!" Millie cried out, hugging the still unconscious preacher to herself.

"Uh, Millie?" Vash asked, his eyes gazing toward his unconscious friend with a look akin to horror.

"Yes?" she replied innocently, looking up from her love with a wide smile.

"I think he's having trouble breathing" he answered, pointing to the heavily breathing man in her arms.

"Oh, sorry" she said, loosening her grip with a small laugh. "I forgot how strong I was."

"You'll have to get used to it" Vash reprimanded softly with a smile, standing to his feet. "Now, help me get him to your bedroom" he spoke, taking Wolfwood's feet.

"Okay" Millie responded, wrapping her arms under the preacher's own.

Together the two carried Wolfwood's prone figure to the bedroom across the hall, setting him gently upon the bed. Soon he lay still among the sheets and pillows, his wounds dressed and his breathing even. With Meryl in no danger, Millie decided to stay with the preacher while Vash returned to his room. Closing the door behind him, he looked with a wide smile at both mother and child curled up against one another. He quietly walked over to the bed and lay down behind his wife, falling asleep quickly.

The next morning Millie awoke to a movement in the bed, her eyes opening slowly to an empty space beside her. With a sudden rush of adrenaline did she sit up, looking about her wildly for signs of Wolfwood. To her relief she saw him standing next to the bed looking out one of the windows, a cigarette in his hand as his eyes looked out onto the town. Sensing someone watching him he turned toward her and smiled softly.

"Nicholas, what do you think you're doing?" Millie scolded, standing and walking over to him. "You shouldn't be out of bed until all your wounds are healed."

"They are" he answered, opening his shirt to reveal a bare, and unwounded, chest. "Thanks to you and Vash. At least, the broomhead could never have pulled off these bandages" he spoke, putting out his used cigarette in a tray by the bed.

"I was so worried last night" Millie now said with a small pout, turning her back on him and walking toward the door. "You can't go off alone next time, okay?" she asked firmly, looking back as she put her hand on the knob.

"I think you're going to make sure of it, honey" Wolfwood responded with a good natured smile, walking over to Millie and wrapping his arms around her.

"Then it's agreed" she spoke, looking up to the preacher's face with a smile of her own. "Now it's time for breakfast and I need to check on Meryl."

"Yes ma'am" Wolfwood said, releasing his grip and following her out into the hall.

Their mission to the kitchen, however, was interrupted as Vash exited the other bedroom, his eyes tired but otherwise alert. He nodded happily to them, though the strains on his face showed he had important questions on his mind. The two nodded their heads silently in return, leading the way downstairs as he followed.

Soon they were congregated in the kitchen, all smiles gone at the seriousness of the business they were about to discuss. The first question asked was what had taken place outside, of which Wolfwood recounted the events.

"So it was Legato" Vash stated, his face grim as he stood looking to the two people seated at the table.

"Yeah" Wolfwood replied, lighting a cigarette to calm himself. "And the both of them mean business this time. There's no escaping a confrontation."

"Then we can't stay here any longer" Vash announced softly, shaking his head sadly. "Knives knows where we are and how weak we are, so it's only a matter of time before he attacks the house again."

"I agree" Wolfwood said, leaning back in his chair as he looked to the gunman. "The sheriff is also going to want to know what happened at the insurance agency. However," he added, peering at the gunman through narrowed eyes. "Where do you suggest we go? In case you haven't noticed, Meryl's in no shape to go bouncing around in a truck and we don't have much money left."

"I know of someone who lives not too far from here" the blond answered hesitantly, seating himself in an empty chair. "He might be able to help us."

"You've never told me about this guy before, so what's the catch?" Wolfwood asked, lighting a cigarette as he waited for his answer.

"He doesn't like to be bothered" Vash replied grimly, though he noticeably averted his eyes away from the two.

"But if he's old friends with you, shouldn't he want to help, Mr. Vash?" Millie asked, a hint of confusion in her voice.

Wolfwood took a puff on his cigarette, his eyes practically boring into Vash's as he suddenly nodded his head.

"There's something else you're not telling us, is there?" he gently accused, sitting up in his chair. He held up his hand in silence as the gunman began to speak, shaking his head. "You probably have your reasons, and right now we don't have time for a long story."

"Yeah" Vash agreed, standing to his feet. "I think we need to find something better than the truck. Meryl's not going to like the bouncing in the bed." He then turned toward Millie, his voice tinged with unusual seriousness. "Millie, you stay here and watch Meryl while we're gone."

"Okay" Millie said, her face brightening up as she looked to the two men. "And while you're out, can you get some milk for the baby?"

"Millie, you're a miracle" Wolfwood said as he stood, giving the big girl a smile. "Anyway, we'll be back in no time, so don't worry too much."

"Oh, that's all right Nicholas" she answered, herself standing to her feet. "I'll have everything packed before you come back."

"Nicholas?" Vash teased as they made their way out the door.

"Don't start, broomhead."

Several hours later found the duo with one less truck and, minus a few hundred double dollars, as comfortable a car as they could buy. However, their search for milk had turned up in vain, leaving the two to return without anything for the child to drink. They entered the home in a slightly subdued manner, both heading upstairs when they found Millie to be missing from the downstairs rooms.

"Has she woken up yet?" Vash asked, stepping toward the bed quietly.

"No" Millie answered, hints of worry in her voice. "She won't wake up no matter how much I shake her. Is something wrong with her, Mr. Vash?"

"No" the blond responded, shaking his head sadly. "This is natural after a lot of energy's been used" he explained, kneeling down beside the sleeping insurance girl. "Meryl" he called softly, gently nudging her shoulder. "Meryl, you have to wake up."

"Nnngggg" Meryl grumbled quietly as her eyes slowly opened, blinking against the bright sunlight shining through the windows.

"Wolfwood, could you close the curtains?" Vash asked, smiling as Meryl pulled the covers over her head. Gently he pried them off her as the suns were blocked, giving a small chuckle at both mother and child hiding beneath the blankets. "Meryl" he whispered in a teasing voice, shaking her shoulders. "You have paperwork to do."

"That's not funny" she muttered between the pillows, her eyes opening sleepily as she blinked around at the people surrounding her. Turning her head, she smiled soothingly at the child still asleep beside her, his eyes shut tight in contentment. "So much trouble" she whispered lightly, running a hand through a tuft of black hair visible atop his head. "Just like your father."

"Hey"Vash whined, his goofy grin appearing on his face. "It's not my fault he didn't want to come" he pouted, settling his head upon her lap with a puppy dog look in his eyes.

"Oh no" Meryl said, raising herself to a sitting position and crossing her arms over her chest. "If you hadn't be-"

However, her words were rudely broken off as the child beside her suddenly awoke, squirming in the blankets. Soon he began to cry, bringing about a turn in the conversation.

"Oh, Mr Vash, did you get the milk?" Millie asked, looking between the two men questioningly.

"No" Vash responded, shaking his head. "There wasn't any in the entire town. Besides" he added somewhat sadly, looking to the tiny bundle beside Meryl. "I don't think milk will work."

The room fell silent as each contemplated the new revelation, though the mother looked about with an expression of confusion.

"What do you mean?" Meryl asked with rising alarm, gently picking up her baby and cradling him to her breasts. "If milk won't help him, what will?"

"I think you're going to have to give him some of your blood."

"What!" she cried out, apparently causing further discomfort to the child as his cries grew louder. "Millie, could you please take him for a moment?" she asked, smiling slightly as her friend took the crying child. Then she turned her full focus on the blond still kneeling beside the bed. "Why?" she asked simply, her face stern and waiting.

"When vampires, even half vampires, grow weak they need to take in energy in large amounts" he explained slowly, his face turning into a frown as he tried to find the words to clearly explain. "The birthing wasn't very hard on you, and you were able to sleep to get back most of the lost energy. However, our child had a tougher time and needs some food right now."

Silence reigned as Meryl sat there stiffly, her body shaking with fear for the child she had only just given life to. After a long moment she breathed deeply, dispelling some of her quivering, and looked Vash straight in the eye.

"Is that...I mean, will he be...all right?" Meryl asked nervously as her fingers fidgeted in her lap.

"He can't become a full vampire unless he dies by one" Vash assured her, giving a comforting smile. "Though I don't know what would happen if he died of thirst" he added grimly, holding his palm out face up.

Meryl hesitated for a second before nodding her head in understanding, placing her hand within his with her own palm facing upward. She winced only slightly as Vash ran a suddenly long, hardened nail over her open hand, shakily watching as Millie handed the baby to Vash. The blond the placed the babe within her own arms, careful that she was able to hold the child while not spreading blood over the blankets.

"Let him suckle on your hand" he gently but firmly ordered, watching in fearful fascination as she did as was told.

At first the babe pushed against her hand, screaming louder as Meryl tried to get him to swallow some of the dripping fluid. Soon, however, he learned what she was trying to do and latched his mouth around her wound, happily taking in the much needed nourishment. Everyone in the room let out a sigh in unison, smiles appearing on their faces as the babe took in what he needed and pulled back. Soon he was burped and had once more fallen asleep, full and content in his mother's arms.

"Well, now that that's taken care of, we should be going now" Wolfwood spoke, looking out the windows toward the high sun to emphasize his point.

"Going? Going where?" Meryl asked, watching as Millie began packing their things out of the room.

"I know a safer place we can go" Vash explained, standing and gently taking the child from Meryl's arms. "And we don't have much time to get there."

Meryl nodded her head, jumping out of the bed and hurriedly grabbing some clothes which had been laid out for her by Millie. Quickly she changed out of the nightgown she had been wearing and joined the others waiting outside, bundling the child in several blankets before taking a comfortable seat in the two door vehicle they had acquired.

Soon they were traveling over the sand, the town they had made their home just a memory as the car speeded toward their new destination. Very little was spoken as the time passed, most just preferring to keep to their own thoughts and watch the suns travel across the sky. However, the monotony was broken after several hours of driving by a sudden announcement.

"There it is" Vash spoke, everyone turning their attention ahead as in the distance buildings could be seen.

No one spoke as they reached the outskirts of the large settlement, each looking around at the many buildings lining the streets ahead. However, their faces soon showed confusion as the roads held no traffic, the area being entirely devoid of any living thing.

Silently the car stopped before a large bar, the five of them getting out of the car and looking around with not a little apprehension. Turning to the bar, however, the group shuffled their way along the quiet street to possibly get some food. Each of the companions looked around the silent area with apprehension, not even the sound of a tomas breaking the unusually calm air. In silent agreement Vash stepped ahead of the others, settling his hands on the swinging doors and pushing them open.

Suddenly he stepped back with a shocked cry, his hands letting the doors swing freely as the others froze in their tracks.

"What's wrong, Mr. Vash?" Millie asked, her eyes going between the blond and the moving slabs of wood. "Is there no one in there?"

Biting on his cigarette, Wolfwood pushed his way past the frozen Vash and slammed through the doors. However, he stopped in his tracks in the doorway as his mouth dropped open, his head moving slowly from one side to another. Millie and Meryl looked to each other, nodded their heads both in determination and resignation, and slowly looked around Wolfwood. Their mood changed to horror at they saw what lay beyond.

Piled high along the floor lay dozens of bodies, the tables and chairs piled around them as though a child had built a fort of protection. Men and women alike were gathered around the center of the bar, their clothes torn and bloodied with a losing fight. Limbs lay scattered about, some along the bar while others had been nailed to the walls. Empty eyes silently watched the intruders of the death room, as if accusing them of the atrocities which had taken place.

Vash, as if a curse had been lifted, suddenly dashed away from the building, sprinting straight across the street to a neighboring store. However, looking at the windows he knew the same carnage had taken place, the glass so stained with blood he could barely see through into the shop. The bodies of several women and children were arranged the same as the bar, their violent struggle against an unknown assassin apparent with the scattered remains of the shop goods around their decomposing bodies.

"The entire town is dead" Wolfwood spoke softly behind him, the rough tone of anger evident in his voice. "Murdered by Legato. Not too long ago, either."

Vash turned from the window and looked at the empty streets in dismay, his face long and his eyes wide. His teeth suddenly gritted against each other as the tears continued to roll down his face.

"Knives" he said between clenched teeth, his eyes glowing red for a second as he fisted a shaking hand. "He knew we were coming and did this."

"Vash" Meryl spoke softly, stepping to his side and still carrying their child. She gently placed a hand upon his shoulder, the gesture somewhat calming the distraught gunman. "We can't do anything for them" she explained, fighting back tears as she looked into the window of the shop.

"He can't be dead" Wolfwood heard the gunman mutter, raising a brow in question as he looked at him. Meryl also turned at the strange words, hugging the child in her arms closer as she stepped toward the blond

"The person we're supposed to meet?" Wolfwood asked, turning to look down the deserted street. "If he is dead, then there's nothing we can do for him now."

For a long moment Vash appeared to merely look out into the distance, his eyes concentrating yet unfocused. Wolfwood, confused by his friend's unusual behavior, was about to interrupt this spell when the gunman suddenly literally jerked out of his thoughts. He turned his head toward the west, the opposite way they had come, and nodded his head.

"He's not dead" Vash confidently spoke, looking to the people surrounding him as Millie walked up beside Wolfwood. "We have to hurry to his house before the night falls, and unfortunately it's a longer way off than I thought."

"Let's get goin' then" Wolfwood commented, spitting out his cigarette and leading the small group to the car. "Before we end up like these poor souls" he muttered under his breath, the group piling into the car and driving further into the dead town.


	18. Success At Last

A/N: Another update in a three-day long writing spree.

**Success At Last**

Everyone was silent as the car traveled along the dusty and deserted main road of the town, each looking to the side for some signs of life. However, their hopes proved to be pointless as nothing stirred around them, bringing their memories back to the shop and its pile of customers. After a half ile or so into the town, Vash directed Wolfwood to turn left, bringing them onto a little used road little wider than an ally. The insurance girls watched with curiosity as the blond further pointed the way, leading them through more winding streets and dead buildings.

Finally Vash commanded Wolfwood to stop before an inconspicuous, small house surrounded by a mud-dried wall. No sign of life showed around the area, but the group was wary as they all piled out of the car, looking about them with suspicion and expecting anything to happen. Meryl clasped the bundle tightly in her arms as her eyes shifted to the few shadows about them, the sleeping child within the blankets undisturbed by their troubles.

Much to their relief nothing came out of the shadows or deserted houses, leading Vash to calmly walk into the enclosure and up the few steps to the door of the home. He lifted his arm and, with some little hesitation and a deep breath, knocked loudly upon the portal. For a moment nothing happened, everyone shifting nervously and looking to the blond for answers.

Then to everyone's surprise, and Vash's relief, the door slowly crept open, the rusted hinges adding to the eerie effect. Seeing no one on the other side, the gunman led the walk cautiously into the darkened home, the others following closely behind.

As they looked around the home's entrance all gasped in amazement. The walls, table and floor were covered in thousands of papers, a rare commodity with the lack of wood on the planet. Also abound were test tubes and beakers in abundant groups, some filled but most bearing the contents of earlier experimentation. The house reeked of strange smells and a faint haze drifted about them as the group turned to their left and walked cautiously into a large room which appeared to be the kitchen. Dirty dishes lay scattered about, flies buzzing around with pesky annoyance as the companions looked around in open disgust.

"Don't look so surprised, Vash" a voice suddenly called from behind them, causing the group to jump into defensive positions as Meryl shot to the far side of the room.

However, to everyone's curiosity but Vash's there stood merely a man in or past his middle age, with balding blond hair and a piercing gaze of dark eyes as he looked over the people. With a small smile he stepped into the kitchen and waved off the suspicious stares with his hand, nodding his head as the group dropped their defensive positions.

Vash hesitantly smiled as he stood straight, walking up to the stranger and standing before him.

"I need help" he plainly spoke, his voice heavy with an emotion his companions could not quite distinguish.

"So I see" the gentleman commented, looking at the group now gathering behind Vash.

"This is Conrad, Doc, for short" Vash introduced, his hand gesturing to the elderly gentleman seated at the table. "We've known each other for a long time. He's gotten me out of a few scrapes before."

"Quite a long time" the man agreed, laughing slightly. "But it appears you haven't learned from your mistakes" Doc added, his eyes turning toward the bundle in Meryl's arms. "But this appears to be extreme even for you."

"How long _have _you known each other?" Meryl questioned curiously, learning from experience one was not to be judged by looks alone. Her eyes narrowed as the stranger looked over her child with interest, hugging the bundle closer to herself.

"That's not really important right now, is it?" Conrad commented while looking away from Meryl and seating himself at one of the rickety chairs surrounding the covered table. "Something great must have happened for you to have come here."

"It's Knives" Vash replied, seating himself opposite the doctor. "He's finally moving."

"So it's come to this, has it?" Doc answered with a great degree of calm, shaking his head in dismay. "Tell me everything that's happened."

The rest of the group situated themselves about the room as Vash told their story, beginning from the meeting of the Insurance Girls to their entering of the dead town. After the blond finished his tale Conrad sat quietly for a few minutes, his eyes closed and his lips firmly together as he apparently thought over the information given. Finally he opened his dark eyes and looked directly into Vash's own, his face grave and serious.

"You couldn't find any others in this town?" he asked, heaving a sigh of weariness. "So no one else survived..."

"How did _you_ manage to survive while the others didn't?" Wolfwood suddenly asked out of curiosity, leaning against the kitchen doorway. His eyes were looking suspiciously upon the older gentleman, seeing nothing extraordinary to have helped him manage such a feat.

"I'm not entirely defenseless" Doc answered with a small hint of a smile, followed quickly by a tired sigh. Meryl noticed Vash look away with a saddened look upon his face, closing his eyes as if reliving a bad memory. "But I don't think you should stay here long to chat" he continued softly, looking out the window toward the setting sun.

"Why?" Wolfwood asked, lighting a cigarette and raising a brow in question. "Think we can't handle ourselves?"

"It's not that" Conrad argued, turning his attention back to the group. "The people you saw in the store and through the windows, were their bodies in any way mutilated?" he asked, looking carefully at the companions.

"No" Meryl replied with a shudder, shaking her head in both answer and to try to dispel with memories. "They looked like they had just been drained and placed there."

"Then we have a problem" Doc commented with some degree of emergency, standing and beginning to pace the room. "Those people, if what I believe is true, will become mere tools for the vampires, or vampire, who killed them. What we have to worry about is whether they or their masters have enough awareness of where we are to come and cause us grief."

"Wait, what the hell do you mean?" Wolfwood asked, snuffing out his cigarette with the toe of his shoe and turning his full attention to the doctor. "Why are we going to have to worry about those poor souls?"

"Because if what you say is true and they have been drained, then they may return as ghouls" Doc explained slowly, his voice filled with growing strain. "Those people will have no will of their own and will be at the mercy of their masters, whom they must obey to destruction."

"What!" Vash shouted, standing and pounding a fist on the table top. His teeth gritted as he shut his eyes, shaking his head furiously back and forth.

"Hey, Doc" Wolfwood spoke up, striding up beside the distraught Vash. "If that's true why haven't we seen it happen before? I've been with Spiky for a long time and haven't heard this part."

"It's because he hasn't used it yet" Vash answered quietly, opening his eyes slowly and beginning to breath more calmly. "Knives showed me his powers after he'd been turned" he explained as he seated himself once more in his chair. "But apparently he showed so much contempt for the humans he refused to create more after his first experiment" the gunman spoke, disgust in his voice at the final word. "So can you help us defeat Knives?" the gunman asked once more, turning his attention once more to the doctor.

"I'll see what I can do, but I make no promises" Conrad replied, shaking his head in little encouragement. "I've been trying to figure out the riddle of the vampire for some time and have yet to succeed."

At his last words the final rays of the sun drifted behind the horizon, encompassing the already darkened kitchen into near blackness. The flash of a candle by the doctor created some light, especially as he applied the small torch to an oil lamp positioned in the center of the table.

"It looks like you'll be staying here for the night, whether the people are ghouls or not" Conrad spoke with some amusement, standing to his feet and picking up the lantern. 'If you'll all care to follow me, I have quite a few empty rooms which you could use."

The group nodded their heads and allowed themselves to be led to their respective bedrooms, Conrad assigning them two rooms for the couples and child. The doctor raised a brow when Meryl and Vash wished to be together, but he said nothing as he showed them to a spacious room. Much to Meryl's dismay after they'd retrieved their trunks from the car, the child awoke and began crying out for sustenance. The milk she offered him was quickly refused, leading the two parents to quickly comprehend what the baby's need was.

Conrad, obviously having heard the crying, entered their room with a small vile in his hand.

"I thought you could use some help" he spoke, offering the glass to Vash with a small smile toward both mother and child. "This will quiet him for a while" he explained, leaving the room before Vash or Meryl could ask him any questions.

Vash and Meryl looked at the vile, filled with some rose-colored liquid, with some apprehension. Finally the gunman sighed and uncorked the glass, giving Meryl an encouraging smile.

"He wouldn't hurt him" Vash explained softly, emptying the contents of the vile into a small bottle. Taking the child from his mother, he slowly allowing the baby to nurse from the bottle.

To both their joy the child eagerly drank the liquid, happily gurgling with glee after the bottle had been drained. After Meryl had burped the baby and changed its diapers she laid him to rest, smiling as he quickly slipped into a deep nap. Vash, meanwhile, had gone to return the vile, leaving the mother to care for their child while he thanked the doctor.

However, after the blond had not returned for a long time Meryl grew worried. She tucked the baby further in and closed the door behind her, telling Millie to alert her if she heard anything from the room. Walking down the steps she noticed a figure through the open front door seated on the small porch, the unmistakable red suit coat told her it was Vash.

"Hey, Vash" Meryl said as she walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a loving gesture. However, when she received no reply she released her gentle hold and stood up straight behind him. "Is something wrong?" she asked, worry in her voice.

When silence was once again her only reply did Meryl finally lose her temper, smacking Vash upside the head.

"Ouch!" Vash whined, flinching at her hard hit. "What'd you do that for?" he asked, putting a frown upon his face.

"That's better" she said with a small smile, watching as the blond rubbed his head. "It looks like they won't be coming after us after all" Meryl commented with a small smile, her face dropping, however, when she noticed Vash's contemplative expression. She seated herself beside him, nestling herself against his warm arm as she looked to the stars high overhead. "Nice night, isn't it?" she asked, hoping to turn the conversation to something less morbid. "Couldn't sleep, either?" the small insurance girl added with a laugh as she looked to the gunman, hoping to amuse the blond with their predicament.

Unfortunately, her attempt at a joke failed miserably as Vash turned sharply away from her. She sighed deeply and returned to staring up at the stars, realizing she had touched a sore spot in the blond's emotions.

"How did you two meet, anyway?" Meryl questioned, her curiosity finally getting the better of her. "I mean, if you want to tell me..." she trailed off, not sure whether the question was one Vash was willing to reveal to her. To her joy, however, he began speaking.

"He's been studying vampires for a very long time" Vash began to explain almost absently, his eyes downcast. "He found me soon after Knives had changed me, alone and barely able to control my thirst. Doc showed me kindness, even after he realized what I was" he spoke, smiling a little at the memories.

"What happened?" Meryl asked softly, placing a comforting hand upon his slumped shoulder. She knew from Vash's hesitation to come to the doctor's house and the sad expression on Conrad's face that something had occurred between the two.

"Doc tried to help me control the thirst and taught me about the powers I had" he explained slowly, giving a small smile of regret. "I thought I could control it on my own. I tried not to get him involved because I knew Knives was looking for me." Then Vash stood with a short, hollow laugh, pacing the porch in growing agitation. "In the end, I was the one who brought him into this mess" he added, almost to himself as another sharp bark of laughter broke from his mouth.

"You bit him" Meryl spoke softly, her eyes opening wide in the realization. "You turned him into a half-vampire."

Vash could do nothing more than nod, tears welling up in his aqua eyes as he stopped his pacing. A stifled sob escaped his lips as he collapsed to his knees, slamming his hands upon the wooden floor.

"Why do I do this to people?" he cried out, gritting his teeth as the tears slid down his pale cheeks. "Everyone who tries to help me, everyone I care about, I bring them only trouble."

"That's not true, Vash" Meryl firmly replied, kneeling before the weeping gunman. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her forehead against his as her own tears were shed. "You don't cause them grief. You brought us all together, Millie and Wolfwood, you and me. Isn't that good?"

Vash didn't reply nor did he open his eyes, but with relief Meryl noticed his crying lessen. The little bit of response encouraged her and she continued with her speech, her voice growing more confident with each word.

"Even with what you did to him, he is still your friend, right?" she asked, smiling a little when he once more nodded. "He doesn't blame you for what you did, so why should you blame yourself? If anyone is to blame for your troubles, then Knives has most of that burden" she spoke firmly, kissing Vash lightly on the lips. "But even if you regret what's happened and do blame someone, remember what you've gained. Wolfwood, Doc, Millie...and me" she finished, smiling as the blond looked up into her eyes with some light of hope in his own.

"Meryl, thank you" Vash said, giving a small smile of his own as he turned and hugged her.

Before they could talk further, however, the couple was startled as Conrad came rushing onto the porch, his footsteps loud as he was smiling with excitement. Stopping behind them with excitement dancing across his face, he beckoned them into the house. Turning to each other with confused expressions, both shrugged and stood quickly. Following the doctor they ended up in the kitchen, their curiosity growing as they saw Wolfwood and Millie seated at the table with the child in the big girl's arms.

"What's the deal, Doc?" Wolfwood asked grumpily, his hair slightly disheveled as he gave the doctor an annoyed look.

"I have finally found a formula that works" Doc announced proudly, smiling widely at the group. He lifted up a hand in which a vile was held, the black contents swirling innocently within their glass prison.

"A formula for what?" Vash questioned, striding up beside Conrad and taking a closer look at the vile.

"This mixture will allow for one vampire to revert to their previous form, namely a human" he explained, some of his excitement losing strength. "The problem we have is inserting the serum into Knives' blood stream, but I'm afraid you'll have to manage that by yourselves" he added, placing the stopped vile into Vash's open palm.

"Is it safe?" Vash quietly asked as he looked at the glass within his hand, his face downcast but his words firm.

"I don't know" Conrad honestly replied, shaking his head in emphasis. "I haven't been able to test the serum yet, and I currently don't have any subjects to use." No one asked who or how he had obtained such specimens, knowing by the look on the doctor's face the projects had left scars on his conscience. "However, I believe the change will not be full" he added with some hesitation, Vash's once interested smile fading from his face. "Knives may not revert to a pure human form, but he will be weaker."

"If he'll still be part vampire, then have you found anything to sustain Knives' hunger?" Meryl asked with hope, clasping her arms around one of Vash's.

"Yes, quite a few years ago" Conrad hesitantly replied, averting his eyes from the companions.

"How do you know it works?" Wolfwood questioned, raising a brow as his dark eyes looked steadily into Doc's face.

"I've tested it, several times" the doctor replied quietly, shaking his head and looking back to the group with a small, sad smile. No one interrogated him further, each realizing he had tested the serum on himself since his discovery to control his own hunger. Then did Vash and Meryl also realize what the contents of the vile given to the baby had held. Both silently thanked the doctor for his kindness.

Vash, with the vile in hand and his friends group about him waiting for someone to speak, smiled and with firmness nodded his head to the doctor. He turned to his companions with an unwavering eye and looked into their resolute and understanding faces, each realizing what was soon to come.

"Let's go find Knives."


	19. The Awaited Showdown

A/N: One of my longest chapters for any story.

**The Awaited Showdown**

For a moment no one within the room neither moved nor spoke, each pondering the one question troubling Vash's suggestion.

"And how do you suggest we find Knives?" Wolfwood finally questioned, more than a bit of doubt reflected in his voice. "Should we just walk into the middle of this dead town and wait for him and his henchman to come and get us?"

"Actually, yeah" Vash replied, his tone firm and serious.

"Are you crazy, needle-noggin!" Wolfwood exclaimed, his brows crashing down as he threw up his arms in exasperation. "Do you think he's actually going to fall for a cheap trick like that!"

"You don't know him like I do" the gunman quietly commented, turning toward Conrad. "Doc, do you have any ammunition we can use? What we have probably won't last in a fight."

"Alright" Doc replied with a nod, leaving the four to discuss their next move and the proposed plan.

Then, with a look between them and a nod, Vash and Wolfwood both grabbed their respective mates and marched them to their rooms. Vash, dragging a confused but willing Meryl, entered their room and closed the door behind them. Turning from the portal, the insurance girl was shocked to see both a sad and serious look upon his face.

"What's going on?" Meryl asked, her voice hushed as she stepped toward him. "What aren't you two telling us?"

"If we don't come back by sunrise, leave" Vash commanded, his eyes boring into her own. He stepped up to her and lay his hands upon her shoulders, a small, almost broken smile upon his face. "There's nothing you and Milly can do to stop him. At least, not until he's older" he quietly added, looking to the bundle of blankets on the bed for emphasis.

"What!" Meryl cried out, breaking herself free from his gentle grip and taking a step back. "I can't just leave you without...without knowing what happened!" she argued sternly, resting her hands on her hips as she stood straight.

Vash smiled and lifted his hand, slowly stroking her cheek softly. Meryl growled and swiped his hand away in a bothersome manner, and turning toward the bed. She quickly but gently picked up the bundle and brushed past him, walking silently to the door. She stopped before the portal, a hand lifted and placed on the knob.

"I'm not leaving, and neither is Milly" she stated bluntly, looking over her shoulder. "That's our promise to you both. If you two get into trouble, we'll be there to help."

Vash smiled widely, nodding his head in understanding as he walked toward her. He peeked into the bundle, grinning as the sleeping babe moved around at the bright light which had interrupted his sleep.

"I'll come back for you two" he said, turning his face up to Meryl's. "That's my promise to you."

An hour later found the group of six, including the bundle, standing outside on the covered porch. They were all quiet, the men having stocked up on the provisions Conrad had managed to find strewn about his home only minutes before. The setting suns cast a silhouette on the party, giving a surreal quality to the parting. The women stood before their respective gunmen, each looking into the eyes of the other with firm belief in their abilities. They would come back to them.

They had to.

"We have to go" Wolfwood finally spoke up, giving Milly one last, one-sided grin before turning toward the road in front of the house.

"I'll keep my promise" Vash said, nodding to Meryl as he stepped up beside Wolfwood.

Then they were on their journey, never looking back as their feet propelled them further from their loved ones. The three watched as the men walked out into the dead town, armed with ammunition and grim faces. With a heavy sigh Conrad seated himself upon the porch, watching as the suns sunk below the horizon. Milly and Meryl followed suit, seeing as they had no other option, and both strained to see their gunmen until they melted into the buildings.

For a long time no one spoke, each lost in their own thoughts about the coming battles and possible outcomes. Meryl gently rocked the bundle in her arms, smiling sadly down at the serene, sleeping face. Finally she slowly turned to Conrad, her voice hesitant but firm.

"Do you hate them?" Meryl asked quietly, looking down at the child in her arms. The baby blinked and smiled up at his mother, his eyes wandering in innocent curiosity.

"Hate who?" Conrad asked, the question obviously catching him off his guard. He turned his head to look quizzically at the young woman beside him, raising a brow in curiosity.

"Vash, for what he did to you, and Knives for what he did to Vash" she answered, averting her eyes to the side. "They caused you to be...to be what you are."

For a moment Conrad merely looked at Meryl with a contemplative expression on his face, his eyes bright and yet dull with years. Then he slowly shook his head, turning back to look out the darkened windows.

"No, I don't hate them. Either of them" he replied slowly, sighing deeply. "I know Vash wanted to protect me but the vampire nature was too strong. Knives...well, he never asked for the fate he was given."

"But still, Knives hasn't used it very well" Meryl angrily quipped, frowning down at the child in her arms. "He's hurt so many people with what he's done."

"And if Vash and his friend succeed, he'll pay for his crimes" Conrad spoke, standing and stretching his arms above his head with a definite crack. "I'm getting too old for this" he muttered in slight amusement, shaking his head.

""Milly, could you take the baby inside to my room?" Meryl suddenly asked, rising to her feet as her partner did the same.

"Sure thing, Meryl" Milly replied without question, smiling as the smaller insurance girl gently passed her the bundle. "I'll be right back" she added, walking through the front door.

"Did I bother you?" Meryl asked after Milly had gone inside, turning and looking to the older gentleman in concern. "My questions weren't appropriate, especially with how you've helped us already."

"Not at all" Conrad answered with an amused smile, watching as the world around them was lost completely to darkness.

However, before the conversation could continue a sudden pain-filled howl rent the air as the three shot up fro their placed on the porch. Conrad shot to his feet as Milly burst from the house, Meryl grabbing her shoulders before she could sprint out into the street.

"Nicholas!" Milly exclaimed in horror, her face showing her inner turmoil to help or obey her mate. "He's in trouble, I know it!" she yelled, tears streaming down her face.

"Milly" Meryl spoke, her voice catching the attention of her distraught friend. Her firm voice and unwavering eye called to Milly as the two exchanged a silent, knowing glance. "What are you going to do?"

Milly grinned widely and with a nod of her head she turned and looked toward where the noise had come from. The rising waxing moon was becoming visible above the houses, calling to its children.

"It's okay, Meryl" the big girl responded, her face turning into a determined look as she stepped out of her friends grasp. "I know I have to do what I think is best, no matter what anybody else tells me."

"Right" Meryl answered as she gave her a smile in return.

Milly waved and sprinted into the road, her swift feet taking her in the direction the gunmen had trudged. She raced past the buildings, allowing her heightened senses to lead her. However, the heavy smell of blood nearly caused her to stop as she neared the center of the town, her worst fears rising to mind. With one last push of energy she emerged into a square, the streetlights surrounding the circle all burnt out and unable to cast their soothing light.

However, with her excellent vision Milly could see two figures in the center of the square, one standing before another who was kneeling. She gasped as she crept silently closer, attempting to go unnoticed, and her eyes recognized the silhouette of her mate as the one bowing to the other. She could only assume the other person was Legato, the facial features not matching those of Vash. Hiding herself behind a building not more than a few dozen yarzs from where they were, she was able to listen in on their conversation.

"How pitiful" Legato spoke, prowling around his fallen opponent. Wolfwood wearily watched the vampire pace around him, a hand over a gash running across his abdomen. "I had thought you would have been more challenging a prey, werewolf" he commented in his eerily calm voice, stopping before the priest. Slowly he kneeled down, stopping when they were face to face. "I can end your suffering. Do you want me to do this?"

Wolfwood's answer was to shoot up his head and spit in Legato's face, much to Milly's satisfaction. However, the vampire was less then amused as he calmly but stiffly rose to his feet, a slight frown on his face.

"Very well then" Legato said, raising a hand with lengthened claws in place of fingernails. "Perhaps I should destroy what you hold most dear."

Milly watched in horror as Legato turned toward where she hid, his eyes gleaming in the waxing moon. He suddenly disappeared from sight and she had enough intuition to duck just as a slice of the building where she lay behind was cut above her head. Then she made a hurried dash toward Wolfwood, listening as the vampire touched down on the ground behind her.

"Milly!" Wolfwood cried out, standing unsteadily to his feet as she came to his side. "What the hell are you doing here!" he questioned angrily, his voice rough as he looked over her shoulder. Then his eyes suddenly widened. "Duck!" he yelled, grabbing her head and pushing them both to the ground.

A blur soared over them, not more than a yarz off from where they had stood straight, and landed opposite them. Legato had his back turned as his form came into view, his eye glowing red as he looked over his shoulder.

"Damn it" Wolfwood grumbled, wincing as pain shot through his body. "Gotta think of something or we're both dead."

"I know!" Milly suddenly exclaimed, pushing herself off the ground and standing upright.

"What the hell are you doing!" the priest yelled, struggling to his own feet.

"Trust me" she replied with a large grin, turning to Legato and wavering a hand in the air. "Hi!" she yelled, pulling down her arm and taking off in a sprint to the nearest lamp post.

"Wait!" Wolfwood cried out, trying to clutch at her but missing by a hair.

Milly rushed toward the dead lamp posts and ducked as she heard a wind approaching, feeling the razor claws pass over her. Legato was much faster than she, but it turned out that she was much more maneuverable than the vampire had anticipated, using the many light poles around the square as turning points. However, Wolfwood could see Legato was merely toying with her, sending false swipes while his cold, amused chuckle followed in his wake. Unfortunately, the game was getting old as he quickly gained ground on her and she was becoming winded.

Also, the lamp posts were now torn in several pieces as Legato's claws had cut them as if they had been made of cheese. In her last turn around upon the surviving pole nearest Wolfwood, Milly gave a furtive glance toward the priest's way. Nicholas, suddenly grasping her plan, raced over to the first pole and grabbed one of the broken pieces. He sprinted toward his mate even as she did the same, the shadow of the vampire almost upon her.

Suddenly metal clanked against claws as the two collided like swords, Wolfwood and Legato staring at each other with their faces only a few feet apart. Milly had jumped out of the way just in time, now she lay watching the confrontation from upon the ground a few yards distance.

"I am afraid you cannot win, priest" Legato calmly stated, his face unusually stoic. "You cannot hope to push me aside with your strength."

"That's not what I had in mind" Wolfwood said, suddenly placing his other hand on the bar and pushing the metal pole into the claws with all his might.

The metal was sliced into five segments as Legato momentarily lost his balance, allowing Wolfwood his advantage. He took the two pieces of sharp metal which remained in his hand and pulled back, using them as a double bat and hitting the side of the vampire's head.

Legato's head tore from his shoulders, blood spouting in all directions as Wolfwood stepped back. With disgust he flung the pieces of metal toward the body, watching with unblinking eyes as the body disintegrated into dust. With a small smile he slowly collapsed to the ground, Milly catching him before

"Are you alright?" Milly questioned, looking over the wound which still brought forth blood.

"I'm fine" Wolfwood responded, giving her a reassuring grin. "Thanks to you. My stupid gun jammed so I thought I was a goner."

"It was nothing" she said, but suddenly began looking futilely about for any sign of the other gunman. "But what happened to Mr. Vash?" Milly asked worriedly, biting her lip in fear of what had happened.

"Legato came and we got separated" Wolfwood coughed out, looking with an intense gaze toward the center of the town. "He said something about Knives waiting for the broom head and off he went."

"We have to get you back to the house" Milly said, placing his arm around her shoulders and gently lifting him to his feet. "Meryl will want to know what's going on."

Left behind by the big girl, Meryl had watched her friend go after her mate with almost a feeling of jealousy. However, the consequence would mean Vash would be in danger and at all costs she wished to avoid that possible situation.

"Don't think to go, Miss Stryfe" Conrad suddenly spoke up, placing a heavy hand upon her shoulder. "You have more than just Vash to think about when rashly running to his aid."

A sudden crashing of class sound coming from inside the house broke off any further conversation, the two remaining occupants of the porch looking at each other for a moment before dashing into the home. They both searched around the main room furiously, trying to identify the intruder, when a noise further back told them the intrusion was at the backdoor. As they rounded the wall separating the living room from the kitchen, which held the rear portal, the two both stopped in their tracks in shock.

Before them stood several people, almost a dozen by a quick count, but they were no longer living. Their clothes were covered in blood and their eyes were lifeless black orbs. They all had various wounds about their bodies while each had two small puncture wounds on their necks. Meryl covered her nose as the smell of decaying flesh hit her senses, the green and brown skin strung tightly on the creature's bodies tell her the source of the disgusting odor.

"The townspeople" Conrad spoke in a horrified whisper, watching as more poured forth from the backdoor. "As I feared, they've become ghouls."

"What!" Meryl cried out, taking a step back as the monsters proceeded further into the house.

"They're dead, but not" Conrad explained, sliding around the kitchen table as the creatures slowly neared ever closer to them. "They follow their master's bidding until they are destroyed by severing the head or crushing the heart. That is the only effective way Vash and I have found to end their torment."

Suddenly a loud crying shifted both of their attentions toward the stairwell area behind, causing them to run into the living room. To Meryl's horror she watched as a rotting woman carried down a small bundle in her arms, the crying sound emitting forth from the wrapped blanket. Several dozen ghouls had invaded through the open front door, allowing the woman to pass but quickly closing the gap to stop the two from following.

"NO!" Meryl yelled, propelling herself into the crowd of decomposing bodies.

The monsters pulled and tore at her, the mass causing her to disappear from Conrad's view. However, a loud growl burst from the horde of ghouls as several were suddenly ripped apart and thrown across the room, blood following in a sick rainbow pattern. The rest backed up and revealed to the doctor and crouching Meryl, her breathing ragged and loud. To his shock she suddenly pounced on the nearest creature and tore its arms off, slicing through its neck with ease.

The other ghouls once more closed in on her, but Meryl seemed oblivious to the number, clawing and slashing amongst the people as if they were mere paper. After a few seconds of grisly dismembering, when none were left standing, she sprinted out the doorway and into the darkness of the night.

Conrad strode to the portal and watched from the bloodied doorway as Meryl quickly disappeared out of sight. Then did he turn backward and look at the carnage in his home, his gaze drifting over the people with heavy eyes. He recognized those faces which still remained intact, a pain growing in his chest. They were people he had seen shopping or had talked to on the street, when they had been alive and full of hope. Now they lay dead in his living room, while he stood over them silently. Slowly, he turned and looked back to where Meryl had left.

Meanwhile Vash and Knives were squaring off, each standing straight and tall opposite the other within the large square of the town. The former townspeople stood as silent witnesses to the scene, their decaying bodies surrounding them as a grotesque audience. The brothers had yet to speak a word since Vash had entered the square, led on by the growing throngs of ghouls. The faces and people he saw sickened him as both the young and old watched him pass into the square.

"Are we to fight fairly or will you remain with your weapons?" Knives asked, looking at the colt in Vash's gunbelt.

Vash stood there for a moment, contemplating Knives' demand. Finally, he pulled the weapon from its pouch and softly threw it to the side, followed quickly by the bullets he had placed around his belt.

"Why, Knives?" Vash questioned, his eyes sweeping around at people about them. "Why did you do it? What did they do to deserve this?"

"Ghouls, at times can be very useful. That is, before the sun rises" Knives mused as he looked around at the crowd, grinning madly.

"And after the sun rises?" Vash asked, his teeth clenched together as he awaited the answer he knew would come.

"Then they will truly die" Knives nonchalantly responded, waving his hand as if to dismiss the conversation. "They are merely pawns. But you, my dear brother" he added, turning his full attention on the gunman. "You are what I want. So many years apart, and you have yet to forsake the human life you so desperately seek."

"I won't abandon them, Knives" Vash firmly asserted, his aqua eyes unwavering. "They deserve to exist just as much as we do."

"So you refuse to join me?" Knives asked, his face unusually calm and collected.

"Yes" the gunman responded, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. To Vash, Knives appeared to be enjoying his words, making the blond worry about his brother's next step.

"Even for your son's life?" Knives questioned, causing Vash's eyes to widen in both horror and disbelief. The vampire turned his head toward the left as one of the ghouls, a woman, came to stand by his side carrying a small bundle in her arms. "He's so small, just a little snap of my wrist and he would whither away" he continued, his hand reaching out and pulling back the blanket.

To Vash's horror he quickly recognized his son, the baby's face contorted in misery and at the sight of Knives he began to cry.

"Knives, no!" Vash yelled, stepping forward. "Please, he hasn't done anything!"

However, Vash's efforts to persuade his brother further were interrupted as a noise behind him caught him off guard. A figure emerged from the shadows, exiting an alley not far off and heading straight toward them. He quickly recognized the small form of his wife, her strides quick and almost catlike.

"Meryl!" Vash shouted, intercepting her as she stalked toward Knives and the woman. "Meryl!" he yelled as he grabbed her shoulders, relieved as she turned her head upward toward him. However, his aqua orbs widened in horror as he noticed her eye color was a deep red, showing her vampiric instincts had taken over.

"So the mother's instincts have brought her here" Knives commented, chuckling as he looked over the couple. "What delicious reactions can I get out of her?" he wondered aloud, a clawed hand lifting and hovering above the child.

Meryl, tearing her eyes from Vash and seeing the possible harm which might befall her child, tore out of the gunman's grasp. She leapt toward her child with a loud growl, heedless of the danger she was in.

"MERYL!" Vash screamed, futilely attempting to grab her only to catch empty air.

Knives grinned widely as he sidestepped the frantic woman's clawed hand and caught it within his own. Swiftly his other hand came up and wrapped around her neck, trapping her in a vice like grip as he lifted her off the ground. Vash took a step toward them but a look from his brother told him that any closer would mean action on his part. Meryl's eyes drained of their red as the pressure from the vampire's hold began to grow tighter, her awareness returning as she sought to free herself. No words would come from her mouth as the air was slowly drawn out from her body.

"Can you protect no one?" Knives mockingly questioned, tightening his grip on the squirming woman. "But perhaps you need a demonstration of grief to bring you to your senses" he spoke, raising his empty hand before Meryl's heart and pulling back.

"NO!" Vash yelled, knowing he would be too late to reach them but unwilling to merely let her die without trying.

However, to all three of the people's surprise a white blur shot from the nearest alley, coming between Knives's hand and Meryl just as the strike bore upon her. With a loud yell of pain the person took the hit into their heart, the shock causing Knives to drop the woman to the ground and back away. Vash raced his way to his wife, bending down and breathing with relief as he saw she was unconscious but alive. Then did he stare up at her savior, horror and pain filling his eyes.

Before them both stood Conrad, his blood slowly soaking his shirt below where his heart lay. A small, sickly but triumphant smile lay upon his lips as he tried to maintain his balance before Knives.

"This is all I can do, Vash" Conrad spoke, his eyes never leaving Knives. Blood spewed from his mouth as he coughed. "You have to do the rest."

Then did he lose his balance, causing him to step backward and allowing his knees to buckle below him. He dropped upon his back to the ground, a small cry of pain the only indication he still lived.

"What a fool" Knives suddenly spoke, catching Vash's attention as the gunman turned his head toward him. "He wasted his worthless life for nothing."

"That's not true, Knives" Vash argued as he slowly stood to his feet, his face stern and his gaze unblinking. A red glow began to seep into his aqua eyes while his fangs lengthened, the scene causing Knives' eyes to widen in shock. "He taught me that to win, I have to give everything I have."

With those words Vash launched himself at his brother, his immense speed catching Knives off guard and allowing him to connect a punch square on the jaw. The vampire reeled backward from the force, growling in anger as he wiped a spot of blood from his bleeding lip.

"This is what you are. Why don't you just accept it?" Knives demanded, his cold blue orbs changing to the color of blood.

"This is what you made me, not what I made myself" Vash argued, digging his heels into the sand beneath their feet and pushing off the ground.

Knives repeated the action, the two brothers colliding in a fury of claws and punches. Neither gained the upper hand for quite a while, though each tried to land the best of punches. However, to Vash's dismay he realized he was losing, his strength ebbing away as he was hit with an assault of battering blows.

Then did he catch a glimpse of Meryl laying prostrate upon the ground with Conrad laying not very far off. The crying of his child reached his ears, his eyes opening wide as he realized that he couldn't lose this fight.

With that thought in mind, Vash waited and watched for the opportune time, taking his beatings and attempting to give them as well. Then did he see his chance, noticing that Knives' feet were not sinking into the sand enough to give ample footing. With a quick duck and a flash of his leg he managed to knock his brother to the ground, scrambling atop him using his fastest speed. He pinned Knives' arms beneath his bent legs and held a lengthened claw against his brother's throat, his eyes burning into the vampire's own.

"Bravo, Vash" Knives conceded quietly, giving a small, mournful chuckle. "What will you do? Will you kill me now?"

"No, no more death" Vash said, his free hand slipping into his gunbelt.

From the belt he pulled forth a vile, the same one Conrad had given him earlier in the day. Biting off the cork he managed to open Knives' mouth and shove the entire bottle into the opening, making sure every drop went down. His brother gagged and struggle, attempting to keep from swallowing but gravity taking its course. When the last drop of the liquid emptied Knives began convulsing beneath Vash, his hands fisted as in pain and his teeth clenched. The gunman watched quietly, silently praying.

To Vash's relief Knives' tremors soon stopped and he lay still, apparently unconscious. The ghouls stood silently around, apparently not knowing what to do with their master gone. He slowly rose off his brother and made his way over to the female holding his child, gently taking him from her decomposing hands. The child stopped its wailing immediately, looking joyously as he recognized his father. Walking over to Meryl, he gently shook her shoulders with his free hand.

To Vash's relief she awoke slowly, stretching and opening her eyes. She looked around herself in confusion for a moment before the memories flooded back, startling her into a sitting position.

"What happened?" she quickly asked, gazing around frantically. "Where's the baby? Where's Knives?" she questioned, her eyes falling upon the bundle.

Vash gladly gave her their child, smiling a little to himself when Meryl burst into tears of relief and hugged their son. However, a sound not far off soon alerted them to their forgotten companion, the couple looking over Vash's shoulder toward the body of Conrad. The two slowly rose to their feet, making their way over to the mortally wounded man.

Vash's face fell as he kneeled beside his old friend, a few tears dropping as he tried to give a small smile. Conrad's breathing was ragged but his eyes were alert as he looked at them, trying to return the gunman's smile. Meryl began to weep as she saw the wound, dropping to her knees with the baby still in her arms.

"I'm so sorry" she cried, holding the child close for comfort. "If I wouldn't have lost control and gone after the baby..."

"Don't blame yourself, Meryl" Conrad choked out, giving her a small grin through the blood dribbling out the side of his mouth. "I needed to do this. I let so many people around me die. At least..I can say...I've saved...someone."

With those last words Conrad's head sank back, his eyes shutting in an eternity of sleep.


	20. An Ordinary Life

A/N: Anticlimactic but it is an epilogue of sorts. A hearty thanks to all who took interest in this story.

**An Ordinary Life**

Vash and Meryl stood solemnly over the body of their friend, tears glistening on both their faces as she held the tiny bundle in her arms. The baby now slept within the comforting cradle of his mother's presence, breathing softly in peaceful content. The parents, however, were nearly grief stricken as they peered at Conrad's corpse, wondering in awe at his selfless act of sacrifice.

"What do we do now?" Meryl uncertainly asked, looking to her husband. They still remained amidst the dead townspeople, standing stiffly without direction. The sun would be rising soon, and they would find their peace. "Do you think it worked?" she queried, her gaze drifting back to their friend.

"I don't know" Vash answered truthfully, his gaze turning and locking on Knives' still body. "But you should go find Wolfwood and Milly" he added, though his eyes did not connect with Meryl's. "I'll take care of Conrad and Knives."

"Are you sure?" she questioned in concern, placing a light hand upon his tall shoulder. She could feel the tense muscles beneath her fingers, the skin quivering in silent sorrow.

"Yeah" he replied, nodding his head. He turned back to his little wife and attempted a smile, though Meryl could tell the emotion was forced. "I'll meet you guys at the house."

"Okay" she agreed, though hesitantly did she leave his side.

Walking slowly from the battlefield where the many ghouls stood and their friend had fallen, Meryl took a long glance backward to the gunman standing among the dead. He looked forlorn, lost in a strange world as she watched him walk over to his brother. Vash knelt down beside the vampire, brushing aside his hair as his face showed anguish and apprehension.

Unable to stand the sight any longer, Meryl made her way back to the house as quickly as she could. With the danger removed, or so she hoped her other friends had prevailed against their adversary, she would safely bundle the baby in their temporary room and search for the werewolves. Arriving at the safe haven, though, the insurance girl was relieved beyond description when she saw Milly seated upon the porch.

"Milly!" she yelled, waving her arm as she carefully sprinted across the sand to her friend. "Milly, are you alright?" she asked as she arrived at the wooden steps, smiling widely in joy. "Where's Wolfwood?"

"He's asleep" Milly replied with her own grin, though she did peer around her partner in search of someone. "But where's Mr. Vash?" she questioned, looking anxiously to the short girl.

"He's alright" Meryl slowly replied, hesitant about explaining all which had happened.

"What's wrong, Meryl?" Milly asked, using her unique ability to read people and realizing her friend was bothered. "Where's the doctor?"

"He...he's dead, Milly" Meryl explained, a few loose tears traveling down her face in remembrance. "He died protecting me."

"Oh Meryl" Milly soothed, standing and taking the baby gently from her arms. "He wouldn't want you to cry" she comforted, giving an encouraging smile to her partner. "So let's not do it."

"Okay, Milly" the short girl answered with a smile and a nod, looking up as the suns rose above the horizon. "Another day..." she murmured, watching the bright orbs perform their trek across the sky as she enjoyed the warmth they offered.

"Yeah" Milly agreed, her gaze turned to the child in her arms. The baby opened its eyes slowly and yawned, blinking sleepily at the tall woman in confusion. He began softly to struggle in her arms, whining impatiently for his mother. "Uh, Meryl?" the tall insurance girl spoke, nudging her friend out of the wonder of nature.

"Oh, sorry" Meryl replied with a sheepish grin, carefully taking her son and rocking him gently. "Are you hungry?" she asked of the baby, smiling when he began chomping his mouth in apparent answer. "Okay, we'll find you some food."

Stepping up onto the porch and walking into the house, Meryl stopped in her tracks. She well remembered what had taken place upon her last occupation in the house, the bodies torn by her vampiric rage. Sighing deeply and preparing herself for the gory scene, she stepped into the home. Her past mistake had to be faced as terrible, regardless of her reasons for the slaughter she had performed.

To Meryl's shock the chaos she had created from her vampiric outburst was hardly noticeable, the bodies gone and the blood cleaned off the walls. Only the broken furniture lay about away from the hall and entrances, the only evidence of her madness.

"The bodies, they're gone" Meryl stated in astonishment, before her eyes shifted over to her partner who had followed her into the home. "Milly, did you...?" she trailed off.

"Actually, Meryl, they just seemed to fall apart" Milly explained with some confusion, scratching the back of her head. "I didn't have to clean up much after they turned to dust" she spoke offhandedly, slapping Meryl lightly on the back. "Besides, everyone gets mad sometimes."

"Thank you" Meryl managed to choke out through grateful tears, emotional over her friend's willingness to cleanse her mistakes.

The small insurance girl knew what her partner would have had to have gone through to clean the house so thoroughly of the blood, a task which she could not imagine herself doing without difficulty. With more determined steps Meryl strode to the kitchen in search of food, slowly placing the child upon the clean table top as she looked about the cupboards.

Meryl's efforts quickly revealed two sources of nutrition for the baby. In the cupboards was found a box of dehydrated milk while in the fridge she stumbled upon a vile of the blood serum Conrad had created. Looking doubtfully upon the red liquid, she shook her head and carefully placed the glass back in the fridge. She mixed the powdered milk and poured the contents into a bottle, slowly turning to her son with the human nutrition. Taking a deep breath and praying this would work, she lifted the child and placed the suckle to his mouth.

To Meryl and Milly's glee the child at once began chomping at the plastic, intent on taking the milk into his body as quickly as possible. The small insurance girl looked up and smiled at her partner, receiving a similar answer in return. Perhaps Conrad's sacrifice had proved itself.

Sitting on the porch as the suns traveled its journey across the sky, Meryl and Milly watched for Vash. Occasionally the big girl would go into the house to check on Wolfwood, managing the bandages and checking to see if the priest had awakened. After the fight with Legato he had collapsed on the return to the house and had yet to regain consciousness and Milly knew the energy he had used would need to be replenished before he could even lift his head.

As the suns stood high at the peak of their course a tall figure appeared on the horizon, walking in the direction of the house. Meryl stood up and quickly strode toward the man, knowing the long, spiky hair belonged to her husband. His red coat, however, was missing as she rushed into his arms, the baby between them gurgling happily. Then a sudden thought hit the short girl and she looked up quizzically into the gunman's face, raising a single brow in question.

"Where's Knives?" she asked, realizing he was not carrying his brother upon his back.

"He's in a safe spot" Vash assured her with a smile, gently taking the baby into his arms. They proceeded to the porch where Milly waited, grinning happily at the couple. "Hi, Milly" the gunman greeted, as if the day was not unusual.

"Hi, Mr. Vash" Milly responded, giving a small wave. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I'm famished" he answered in a pathetic tone, rubbing his stomach. "I could really go for some donuts."

"Well, you'll have to make do with some soup" Meryl scolded, her usual bossy tone returning at the arrival of her husband. "There isn't much here in the house and we haven't looked around the town for a bakery."

"Aw, come on, Meryl" Vash whined, attempting to give her his puppy dog look but falling flat in his efforts. "Pretty please?" he pleaded, looking around at the many buildings which might house the treat he desired.

"Oh, fine" Meryl conceded, sighing as walked up the porch to grab the car keys for the expedition into the commercial district of the town. She stopped halfway into the house and turned to look at the gunman with a stern glance. "You have to watch Wolfwood and the baby while we're gone. If anything happens to either of them..." she threatened, causing the blond to gulp and rapidly nod his head in agreement.

The two girls traveled through the town in search of the precious junk food, also stopping to find many articles which they needed to fix a more full meal. They were gone for several hours and the suns were beginning to set as they drove up in front of the house with a backseat-load of treasures. Jumping out of the car and picking up a few of the items, Meryl looked annoyingly toward the house.

"Where is that irresponsible man?" she grumbled as they began lugging in the heavy bags toward the kitchen, plopping the food down onto the table. "Milly, could you deal with the rest of the food while I go see what he's doing?" she asked, her gaze traveling dangerously up the stairs.

"Okay, Meryl" Milly answered, stepping outside to finish the work.

Meryl climbed the stairs and listened for a moment atop the landing, hearing the sound of voices coming from the room shared by the werewolves. Creeping up to the door she placed her ear on the wood, listening. To her joy she heard the faint voice of the priest talking to her husband, their tones low but content.

"You can come in now" Wolfwood suddenly shouted, though his voice was barely above his normal level.

Meryl blushed in embarrassment and opened the door, revealing the two men smiling at her. Wolfwood was sitting up on the bed, the usual cigarette in his mouth as the bandages gleamed in the fading light. Vash was seated beside his friend in a chair turned slightly toward the door, as if he had been waiting for her to enter.

"You shouldn't be smoking so soon after your injuries" Meryl scolded, relieving her unease at being caught eavesdropping.

"I'm fine" Wolfwood retorted, throwing back the covers as he swung his legs over the bed. "Just needed some rest" he spoke, wincing a little as he put weight on his legs and stood to his feet.

"Well, Milly will be glad to hear that" Meryl commented with a stern face as he took a few steps toward the dresser to extinguish the cigarette. Inwardly, though, the small woman was overjoyed at his quick recovery. "Vash, where's the baby?" she asked, turning her attention toward the blond.

"He's asleep in our room" Vash answered as he rose from the chair, smiling as he nodded toward his old friend. "What'd ya get me?" he asked, looking past her to the downstairs which hopefully held his treat.

"We found some donuts" Meryl replied while she rolled her eyes at his childish nature, wondering at his innocent act after all that had happened.

Before Meryl had time for any other conversation the blond had streaked past her and down the stairs toward the kitchen, intent on consuming the delicious sugary morsels which awaited him.

"Will he ever grow up?" the woman wondered aloud, sighing.

"Probably not" Wolfwood answered, looking behind Meryl as the short insurance girl heard footsteps along the hallway.

"Nicholas!" Milly exclaimed, rushing past Meryl and trapping Wolfwood in a tight hug.

"There, there" Wolfwood wheezed out, patting her on the back as he attempted to breathe enough oxygen into his lungs. "I'm just fine now."

"You had me so worried" Milly scolded, though she smiled widely at her mate as her grip loosened.

"Yeah, sorry about that" the priest replied as he scratched the back of his head. "Well, I'm starving" he announced, looking to the girls. "What's for dinner?"

"Ugh, so much alike" Meryl grumbled as she walked out of the room, followed closely by the couple. She first checked in on the baby, finding him awake and curious atop the bed. She smiled at him and picked up the child, cooing softly as she walked down the stairs. Her mouth dropped open as they reached the kitchen, piles of donut boxes strewn about the room. "Vash!" she exclaimed, finding the gunman happily seated on the floor amidst his victims.

"These are great!" he commented through a mouthful of donut, grinning widely. "I left you some" he offered, holding out a single box.

"Vash, don't you think we aught to be going?" Wolfwood commented in a serious tone, looking pointedly at the gunman.

"Yeah, you're right" Vash agreed, placing the box on the ground and standing to his feet.

"Go where?" Meryl suspiciously asked, looking between the two men.

"To Knives. I hid him in one of the houses, just in case the remedy didn't work" Vash explained as he grabbed the car keys from the kitchen table where Meryl had left them. "But if the serum hasn't worked by now..." he stated, looking away from the group.

"Then we're coming to" Meryl stated, holding the baby tightly as she looked sternly at the men.

"Yeah" Milly agreed, placing her hands on her hips.

"Fine" Wolfwood slowly submitted, still unsure about their coming as Vash merely nodded his head in answer.

"No smoking, dear" Milly teased as they began filing out of the room to the car. "It's bad for the baby."

Climbing into the vehicle Vash drove them through the town and past the square where the battle had taken place. The only evidence of the previous night were many piles of gray dust blowing gently around in the wind. A single marker lay near the well in the center, and even from a distance Meryl knew the grave belonged to Conrad. Passing the area they soon arrived at an unsuspecting house, though the single window in the front appeared to be covered by a cloth.

Stepping out of the car the three followed Vash into the building. Upon the floor in a far corner of the single room structure lay a figure, wrapped in cloth and unmoving as they entered. The gunman strode over to his brother and knelt down beside him, slowly turning over the body. Knives' face was revealed to all, his expression serene and calm.

"Is he still a vampire?" Meryl quietly asked, stepping cautiously toward Knives.

"There's only way sure way to find out" Wolfwood stated, nodding his head in the direction of the disappearing sunlight barely streaming through the covered window.

"Yeah" Vash quietly responded, his face sorrowful as he looked to his brother. Carefully the gunman hoisted Knives upon his back, slowly standing and walking toward the door. "Stand back" he warned, opening the door with his boot. "We don't know what will happen." Taking a deep breath Vash stepped out into the light, allowing the sun to cast its rays upon them both.

To his utter relief nothing happened. His brother remained on his shoulders as the suns shed their warmth on them both, wrapping their warm blankets about them in comfort.

"It worked..." Meryl whispered in awe, a smile growing on her face. "It worked!" she shouted rousing the baby to utter a squeal of delight at her happy tone.

Vash turned and smiled at the group, carefully setting his brother down as he opened his arms. Meryl raced into his waiting comfort, the baby happily laughing between their warm bodies. They would now be able to start a new life, one without fear of the thirst nor any effects on their child.

After their ordeal, an ordinary life was much welcomed.


End file.
